2007 Diatom Chardonnay Clos Pepe
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The 2007 Chardonnay Clos Pepe is probably the best wine I have ever tasted from that vineyard. Extraordinary ripeness of white currants, white peach, lemon blossom, citrus oil, and a hint of honeysuckle is followed by a wine with fabulous body, flavor, depth, precision, and remarkable finesse and elegance in spite of some substantial alcohol. This is a tour de force in winemaking. It is hard to know how these will age, but they seem incredibly pure and very long, although I would still opt for drinking them in their first 2-3 years of life. These wines from Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton are nothing short of revolutionary. Completely stainless steel fermented and aged, this winemaking team has been successful in their efforts to produce a grand cru-like Chablis style in the Central Coast with no exposure to oak, taking full advantage of the extraordinary growing conditions in the Santa Rita Hills. The aromatics of these wines are off the charts, and the flavors extraordinary. For any of those who would argue that oak is an integral part of Chardonnay winemaking, these wines are the antithesis of that. Tel. (805) 452-5609; Fax (805) 735-9185
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Robert Parker
Josh Raynolds
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(16.5% alcohol) Light yellow-gold. Vibrant apple, pear and quince on the nose, with subtle baking spice and white pepper notes adding complexity. Improbably light on its feet for a wine with so much alcohol, offering spicy orchard fruit and bitter citrus zest flavors, with floral honey on the back end. Strikingly elegant for its head-spinning (on paper at least) alcohol level. Finishes clean and with unexpected cut. I felt like I'd gone down the rabbit hole with this one.