2012 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard
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Tasting notes
I’m not sure anyone does it better in California when it comes to world-class Chardonnay, and Aubert’s 2012 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is just another brilliant example of sensational winemaking and a fabulous terroir. Now at 14 years after the vintage, it’s fully mature yet still vibrant and youthful, with a medium gold hue, beautiful aromatics of creamed corn, flower oil, toasted spice, almond paste, and honeyed minerality, full-bodied richness, a round, layered mouthfeel, remarkable purity and precision, and a great finish. It’s a brilliant, world-class Chardonnay that should be enjoyed over the coming 4 to 5 years, although I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see it evolve longer as well. A sincere bravo to Mark Aubert.
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Robert Parker
Jeb Dunnuck
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The 2012 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is a wine of pure texture. Lemon, white flowers, dried pears, mint and spices meld together in the glass. Absolutely nothing is out of place here. The flavors are vivid, intense and layered. Readers may notice a slightly cloudy color in the 2012, which is the result of one tank that had an especially late malolactic fermentation. I tasted these wines right after bottling, and it is entirely possible over time the color will settle a bit. The wines are never fined or filtered here, so from time to time the color can be cloudy, as consumers who have bought these wines in the past know. In any event, the 2012 Ritchie is gorgeous.
The 2012 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is dense, powerful and explosive to the core, with tremendous energy, especially for a wine of its age. Lemon confit, apricot, dried flowers and chamomile build as this plush, layered Chardonnay takes center stage. What a gorgeous and compelling wine it is.
About the producer
The Aubert wines, particularly the Chardonnay, have a cult following – beloved for their rich, hedonistic style. Created by Mark and Theresa Aubert in 1999, the property makes some of California’s most sought-after Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, all from single vineyards across Sonoma.