2014 Estate Chardonnay
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Coming from an extreme drought vintage with minuscule yields, the 2014 Chardonnay Estate combines a flashy, nearly flamboyant nose with a linear, precise structure. Aromas of yellow apple, Asian pear, chalk dust and smoke waft from the glass. The texture features substantial mid-palate concentration propped up by quenching streaks of acidity that propel the finish of crushed stones and baking spices. Extended aeration congeals the split personality of this wine, making for one of the more fascinating vintages in the modern era of Mount Eden.
Critic scores
Average Score
The Wine Advocate
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2014 Chardonnay Estate from Mount Eden is terrific, offering up a youthful bouquet of buttered apples, pear, toasted nuts and brioche that reveals more and more nuance as it sits in the glass. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, pure and racy, with a satiny attack, deep core and bright acids. The finish is long and mouthwateringly chalky. This is one of the best recent releases of the Estate Chardonnay, and it comes warmly recommended. (WK)
The 2014 Chardonnay Estate comes from 43% of the average yields (it was a tiny crop due to the drought) and was barrel fermented in 70% new French oak and aged 10 months on lees before bottling. It’s another youthful, slightly reserved Chardonnay that's going to benefit from cellaring. Brioche, buttered citrus, almond paste and honeysuckle all give way to a beautifully balanced, layered, rich effort that has vibrant acidity as well. There’s 1,495 cases. Winemaker Jeffrey Patterson makes a classic, old-school, age-worthy style of wine from his vineyard located on the east side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. These wines see longer time in barrel than most, hence these are mostly 2014s and 2013s. This is unquestionably one of the benchmark estates for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in California.
The 2014 Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains) is a rich, almost viscous wine endowed with palpable intensity in all of its dimensions. Orange peel, apricot, mint, wild flowers and chamomile are all nicely pushed forward. Deceptive in its mid-weight feel, the 2014 possesses quite a bit of structure. Even so, it is the wine's precision and energy that I find most impressive at this stage. I would give the 2014 at least a few years to fully come together, as it is pretty tightly wound, even after a few hours of aeration. (AG)