($55) Bright yellow. Pungent orchard fruits, flowers and minerals on the nose, with a suave smoky quality adding depth. Palate-staining pear and honeyed citrus flavors provide excellent palate coverage and repeat the smoky note. The minerality returns on the finish, which is broad, chewy and impressively long.

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The 2008 Chardonnay River Block (made from old Wente and Hanzell clones) is a medium to full-bodied, elegant effort displaying abundant lemon and orange blossom notes along with hints of tropical fruits, crushed rocks, and pears. This zesty, substantial Chardonnay comes close to equaling the brilliant but more backward 2007 River Block.

Professional content appears courtesy of Vinfolio