2010 Chardonnay Ulises Valdez Vineyard

The 2010 Chardonnay Ulises Valdez Vineyard is fabulous. One of the most nuanced wines in the range, the 2010 is all about detail. A transparent, weightless wine, the 2010 caresses the palate from start to finish. There is an inner density to the 2010 that has been achieved without excess weight. Power and delineation have rarely been so well balanced. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. It is always fascinating to sit down with Paul Hobbs and his winemaker Megan Baccitich, as these Chardonnays and Pinots run the gamut of styles, clones and sites in Sonoma. According to Hobbs, the 2010 harvest was two weeks later than normal, while 2011 was three weeks later than normal! One of the other main differences is that temperatures increased toward the end of 2010, but stayed very much on the cool side in 2011. My impression is that when all is said and done, vintage 2011 will turn out to be superior to 2010 for this range. As always, the Hobbs house style does a very nice job of capturing both textural richness and plenty of site specificity. Tel. (707) 824-9879

Light gold. Assertive, precise aromas of pear, lemon curd and minerals, with a deeper vanilla note building with air. Deeply pitched but vibrant, with penetrating acidity providing energy to the citrus and floral flavors. Concentrated but lithe chardonnay with bright minerality and a tactile impression on the very long, chewy finish.

The 2010 Chardonnay Ulises Valdez Vineyard comes across as beautiful and very restrained in this vintage. It reveals gorgeous focus and cut in a more mineral-driven, focused style than the 2009. Cool, mineral notes reappear on the finish, adding further elements of precision and clarity.