2012 Red Car Chardonnay Estate Vineyard
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2012 Chardonnay Estate Vineyard has come together beautifully since I tasted it last year. The most intense and phenolic of the Red Car Chardonnays I tasted, the 2012 is firing on all cylinders today. Bright veins of salinity give the wine its considerable structure. Lemon peel, white flowers and white pepper add nuance on the striking finish. I tasted the 2012 from magnum.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Green-tinged gold. High-pitched, mineral-accented aromas of citrus and orchard fruits, with a suave floral nuance adding complexity. Taut and sharply focused, offering vibrant Meyer lemon and bitter pear skin flavors and dusty minerality. Closes tangy and long, with resonating mineral and floral notes and excellent clarity.
The 2012 Chardonnay Estate offers up intriguing aromas of orange blossom, white currants and powdered rock along with fresh acidity, no evidence of oak, and a long, nicely textured, medium-bodied finish. With more tropical fruit nuances to go along with the minerality and good acidity, it should drink well for 2-4 years. Tel. (707) 829-8500