2480 HOLLYWOOD & VINE 2007 CHARDONNAY
NAPA VALLEY 750ml
Made by Celia Masyczek (Cornerstone, Corra, D.R. Stepehns, Husic, Keever, Kelly Fleming, Rocca, Scarecrow)
A by ACACIA 2007 CHARDONNAY
CENTRAL COAST 750ml
Acacia Vineyard is in the heart of the Carneros wine region, with stellar views of vineyards and the bay. This premium winegrowing region enjoys the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean and summer fog, making it an ideal growing area for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Acacia was a pioneer in this appellation when it began in 1979 and continues to craft Burgundian-inspired varietals which have been consistently delicious beyond their price point.
And on the subject of price points, the plan with this program is to put the best and most representative of California’s Chardonnay growing regions in a bottle and give it a very refreshing price. So here you have it: Monterey, Santa Maria Valley, Paso Robles, and even a touch of Carneros fruit blended together to make a really lovely sipper (someone forgot to tell the wine it shouldn’t taste this good at $9.99). An exotic aroma is followed by a rainbow of stone and tropical fruits, it’s bright and crisp, and the finish is long. This is one to procure by the case – people are forever dropping by!
ACACIA 2006 CHARDONNAY
"WINERY LAKE VINEYARD" CARNEROS 750ml Our 2006 Winery Lake Chardonnay is a barrel-selected blend of the finest lots of Chardonnay made from Winery Lake Vineyard. The grapes were hand harvested in the early morning. The wine was fermented in barrels for two months; 50% completed malolactic fermentation. It was aged for ten months in a combination of oak barrels, 60% of which were new.This wine captures the concentrated fruit character, mineral aromas and flavors characteristic of Winery Lake Vineyard. Its depth and complexity give the impression of maturity, even in its youth. The seductive aromas of apple, pear and peach, combined with toasted oak and crème brûlée flavors, complement the mineral character. This is a medium-bodied wine with a satisfying, long finish. Enjoy it paired with roast chicken with lemon and herbs, seafood risotto or summer salads
ACACIA 2008 CHARDONNAY
CARNEROS 750ml
Vibrant aromas of crème brûlée, ginger, lemon curd and white peach are followed by a creamy entry which blossoms to a full, sweet, peach, nectarine and citrus mid-palate. Medium-bodied with vibrant acidity, the wine finishes long and full.
ADELAIDA 2007 CHARDONNAY
"HMR ESTATE" SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAIN RANGE / PASO ROBLES 750ml
The historic HMR Vineyard is located in the hills west of Paso Robles at an elevation of 1,700 feet. Five acres of chardonnay were planted in the late 1960s to validate the special Burgundian-like growing conditions. Just 17 miles from the Pacific Ocean, its unique microclimate benefits from cooling marine breezes. The rare fractured calcareous soils give the wine a complex element of terroir-focused flavors.
ARGYLE 2006 CHARDONNAY "NUTHOUSE"
Argyle’s "Nuthouse" is part of their "Reserve Series" and references the fact that Argyle’s winery was formerly a hazelnut drying facility. Factoid: the state of Oregon just happens to be this nation’s largest producer of hazelnuts! At any rate, this wine is a bit more mainstream for both nose and palate and provides a richer, fuller experience that combines rounded waves of vanilla custard to the palate with sidebars of honey and toasted marshmallow. A tiny bit oakier than the above-noted wine, there’s a nice twist of lemon zest on the finish to bring you back for more!
ARGYLE 2007 CHARDONNAY WILLAMETTE
This is definitely cool climate Chardonnay! The wine’s nose of walnut, pistachio and cashew segues to a racy palate of lemon chiffon/lemon meringue. Argyle’s limited use of malolactic fermentation and oak provides you, the consumer, with a food wine par excellence that shows great potential as a companion to seafood or shellfish of all sorts. This generous and natural production showcases the true nature of the Chardonnay grape unencumbered with man’s manipulation. This one should put on a little bit of weight over the next year or two and qualifies as one of those rare white wines that will actually improve with a bit of age. It wouldn’t surprise us if this one really shines down the road!
ARTESA 2007 CHARDONNAY
CARNEROS 750ml
Lemon blossoms, green apple and honeydew melon are front and center in this Chardonnay. This crisp fruitiness is combined with nuances of creme brule, vanilla, toasted macadamia and humidor cedar making this wine both easy to enjoy and seductively complex. Supple and silky yet crisp enough for food, a great accompaniment for food and friends.
AU BON CLIMAT 2008 CHARDONNAY
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY 750ml
Burgundian in sensibility but with California style is one way of describing Jim Clendenen's Chardonnays- Structure and restraint melded with bountiful opulence is another. In the glass, buttery brioche marries with tropical fruits in an irresistible elixir that will leave the bottle drained before you know it.
It is hard to find better Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs than those created by Mark Aubert under his Aubert label. Aubert’s resume is outstanding, having previously worked under Helen Turley. He also served as chief winemaker at Peter Michael as well as at Colgin. In addition to producing his own wines, he is currently the winemaker at Bryant Family Vineyards. Aubert’s extraordinary Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are fashioned from cool climate sites on the Sonoma Coast.
LIMIT 1 BOTTLE PER
ROBERT PARKER 97-99 POINTS
"The 2007 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is a return to the brilliance of the 2005. From 35-year old, old Wente clone vines (preferred by nearly every top Chardonnay producer in northern California), this cuvee exhibits incredible elegance, crisp acidity, noteworthy minerality, and a full-bodied, substantial personality. Notes of quince, nectarines, honeyed citrus, pineapple, and subtle smoke emerge from this rich, opulent Chardonnay that should drink well for 5-8 years."
AUGUST BRIGGS 2008 CHARDONNAY
"LEVERONI VINEYARD" CARNEROS 750ml
The wine has a bright, golden straw color. Tropical fruit aromas mingle with melon and vanilla. It has a medium weight on the palate with the tropical flavors of passion fruit and pineapple, citrus flavors of mandarin orange and lime, and soft oak. This is a great food wine which would work well with almost any moderately seasoned fish or chicken dish.
AUTEUR 2007 CHARDONNAY
"HYDE VINEYARD" CARNEROS 750ml
After nomading through projects in the cool climates of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Sonoma’s Russian River and Carneros regions, as well as New Zealand’s Central Otago, winemaker Ken Juhasz has settled in the Promised Land. Kenneth and his wife and partner Laura bring the philosophy that maintaining the dualism between the varietal’s masculine and feminine personalities is what makes exceptional wine.
From one of the most renowned vineyards in Carneros, proprietor Larry Hyde cares deeply about his namesake vineyard. Like most of the other Auteur vineyard sources, grapes are purchased on an acreage contract, allowing them to custom farm their blocks. The fruit was heavily thinned and leafing was kept to minimum to provide shade, protecting the fruit’s acid, perfumes and mineral characteristics. Harvested at night, the clusters were delivered crisp and cold, then gently pressed and fermented in French oak barrels (20% new) with native yeast. Malolactic was inhibited in three of the five barrels, and the wine was aged sur lies with batonnage.
The near perfect Hyde Chardonnay shows a remarkably crisp, refined, almost aristocratic side of California chardonnay. While reticent on the nose at first, hinting at tropical and citrus fruit, after few minutes in the glass, fruit comes gushing forth with white peach, lychee, pineapple and lemon. On the palate the cascade of fruit continues, constantly changing but finally coming to rest on exotic starfruit, with the finish lingering with baked lemon and spice. While all the ripe fruit gives an impression of roundness, ample acidity keeps this wine fresh and coiled, suggesting not only long aging potential, but also making it a perfect refreshing spring wine in its youth. Only 120 cases produced.
BAILEYANA 2007 CHARDONNAY "GRAND FIREPEAK CUVEE
"FIREPEAK VINEYARD" EDNA VALLEY 750ml
Firepeak Vineyard is unique in many ways. First, by virtue of its proximity to the ocean, it is afforded one of the longest growing seasons on the state, allowing for full development of varietal character. Secondly, Firepeak Vineyard is planted at the foot of Islay Mountain, the last in a chain of extinct volcanoes known as the Seven Sisters, providing unusual volcanic soils. These factors, along with winemaker Christian Roguenant’s intrinsic talent of blending small lots of Chardonnay into one exemplary wine each vintage, is what Grand Firepeak Cuvee, or "GFC", is all about.
BENZIGER 2007 CHARDONNAY
"SANGIACOMO VINEYARD" CARNEROS 750ml
The blocks were hand selected from Sangiacomo Vineyard to give this Chardonnay the best aromas, flavors and structure. At this Certified Sustainable site, the Sangiacomos use cover crops to replenish nutrients in the soil and practice integrated pest management techniques to reduce artificial inputs and increase biodiversity in and around the vineyard. Dense, loamy soil, a cool climate and small harvests ensure that the fruit from this site is always deliciously distinctive.
A rich, luscious wine with a lovely mouth feel. In this vintage, there are bright tropical flavors of pineapple, pear, and peach with a slight hint of vanilla from oak barrel aging.
BERINGER 2008 CHARDONNAY
NAPA VALLEY 750ml
Fragrant, with floral, spice and nectarine notes that are crisp and delicate, ending with a snappy apple aftertaste. Drink now.
BERINGER 2008 CHARDONNAY
"PRIVATE RESERVE" NAPA VALLEY 750ml
ROBERT PARKER 94 POINTS
"The 2007 Chardonnay Private Reserve (always one of California’s top Chardonnays) has toned down the toasty oak component, exhibiting excellent nutty, honeyed, buttery notes of orange marmalade, brioche, and spice. Full-bodied, rich, and pure, it reminds me of a Burgundian premier cru from Chassagne-Montrachet or Meursault."
BERNARDUS 2007 CHARDONNAY
MONTEREY COUNTY 750ml
The resulting wine is a perfect expression of Monterey Chardonnay, with bright citrus and tropical fruit aromas married with mineral notes and subtle toasty oak nuances. The lush, opulent palate is intense and focused with complex flavors of ripe pineapple, lime, mineral notes, and crème brulèe lingering on a long, creamy finish.
BISHOP'S PEAK 2007 CHARDONNAY
CENTRAL COAST 750mL
This is the second label for Talley Vineyards.
Sourced from two impressive vineyard in California's Central Coast, the grapes for this wine were whole-cluster pressed and stainless steel-tank fermented. Only 30% of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation then aged sur lie in stainless steel and neutral French oak; the other 70% did not go through malolactic fermentation, yet was aged in neutral French oak. This Chardonnay offers a very fragrant bouquet of jasmine, white peach, and pineapple with hints of tangerine and vanilla. On the palate, there are distinct citrus fruit flavors and a crisp minerality that finishes with bright acidity. This lean and refreshing Chardonnay pairs well with raw oysters and grilled shrimp dishes.
BOGLE 2008 CHARDONNAY
CALIFORNIA 750ml
We feel that Bogle has one of the most solid wine portfolios in the business, and they prove that it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg! The Bogle family has been farming since the mid 1800’s and their reputation has continued to grow. The fact that they want to sell wines that people can actually afford doesn’t hurt, either.
A little something for everyone: barrel fermentation, sur-lies aging, and partial malolactic fermentation. These hand-crafted processes create a rich and elegant wine with layers of complexity. Fresh tropical fruits like pineapple, mango and green apple greet both the nose and palate upon first sip, followed up by a touch of lemon cream. Complimented by more creamy notes of butterscotch and caramel, the wine has a long, lingering finish hinting of toasty oak.
BONTERRA 2008 CHARDONNAY Most of the grapes for Bonterra’s Chardonnay are harvested along a 12-mile corridor near the banks of the Russian River, and year after year offer characteristic green apple, baked apple, pear and citrus notes in the wine. There’s a touch of vanilla from the dollop of new French Oak. An initial impression of rich, buttery cream quickly turns to aromas of honey and lightly toasted almonds, followed quickly by tropical aromas of pineapple, citrusy lemon and Crème Brûlée. Organic Grown Grapes
