2017 Chardonnay Reserve
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The 2017 Chardonnay Reserve attains another level of focus and complexity from the Estate bottling. After aging for 10 months sur lie, 15 barrels were selected and racked with their lees into stainless tank for an additional 12 months. The results are, simply put, more of everything: intensity, length and vibrancy. The width, length and overall fidelity of the finish are where the most noticeable differences lie, instilling an already very solid Chardonnay with extra potential in the cellar.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Chardonnay Reserve is an intriguing wine. For a vintage that was so torrid, the Reserve remains very much light on its feet. Tangerine oil, hazelnut, passionfruit, chamomile, butter, baked apple tart and pastry lend quite a bit of nuance. There's good freshness and plenty of complexity. Time brings out the wine's textural richness and exotic flair. The 2017 spent ten months in oak and then a year in tank prior to being bottled.
What I believe to be the current release, the 2017 Chardonnay Reserve is a barrel selection from the estate on the Santa Cruz Mountains. It has a deeper, medium gold hue as well as a reserved yet promising nose of almond paste, golden fruits, toasted bread, and baking spices. It’s rich, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and balanced on the palate, with good acidity and the class to evolve nicely for another decade. However, there's no need to delay gratification either.