Among the handful of best New World Chardonnays I’ve tasted during the past two years, this is a complete and compelling wine that is already beautifully integrated before hitting three years of age. It is highly complex because its aromatic and flavor elements are so well proportioned that none of them overshadow the others, but its ultimate candidacy for greatness is a symmetrical finish that lasts for a full minute. In brief—stunning Chardonnay.
In my book $125 is a pretty “big ask” for Pinot from anywhere, but this delivers obviously superb quality. The bouquet offers up subtle spice notes as well as alluring scents of both red and black cherries, and the flavors flow in keeping with the aromas, with nothing seeming discordant. Acidity and tannins are beautifully intertwined with the fruit notes, enabling this to seem complex but coherent at once.
This wine is notably more intriguing than its legal designation, as it isn’t quite a “Non-Vintage” wine so much as a multi-vintage one comprised of reserve lots from each vintage from 2016 to 2021. The result is a sparkler with deep, mellowed layers as well as bright and fresh ones providing a harmonious mix of “bass” and “treble.” Not overly yeasty, this showcases gorgeous fruit lifted by energetic but creamy effervescence.
The lively flavors sing with Provençal herbs, sultry rotisserie and charred strawberries. Redolent with cranberry and bay leaf and thyme, this wine offers a memorable expression of Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara. Delicate, balanced and complex, it works well on its own or with a bevy of cuisines.
Rose petals and cranberry and morello cherry integrate seamlessly, with traces of mocha and smoke that playfully tease the senses. An elegant soft palate pairs with a spice rack of flavors, including black pepper, rosemary and sage. The wine invites contemplation, cuisine and good company.
Wild strawberries and black strap molasses display an inner core of concentration. Spiced rose petals and cedar are framed by just-ripened cherry with a hint of cherry skin tannins. The acidity stays lively from start to finish.
Allspice and sarsaparilla accents plum and candied apple. Brightly lit from within with a fine wash of acidity, and a fresh, juicy burst of watermelon, sweet soil, and cinnamon-cranberry.
Named for the south-facing hillsides on which the vines are planted along the monopole estate, this is a most aromatic red, resonant with clove-kissed roses and dried figs. Cherries steeped in clove and cinnamon wash over the palate with an earthy tone, as if plucked from the soil instead of a tree. Round and featherlight, its angled, white-peppered savory notes are smoothed out by a freshness of wild strawberries. The inherent minerality has a graceful presence.