Hailing from own-rooted Pinot Noir vines planted in 1974, this bubbly from Kate Payne Brown shows a deep golden-salmon Blanc de Noirs color. The aromas are cheesy and leesy, with baked stone fruit, cardamom, and faint wild strawberry. Not a ton of toast, more leesy in character. On the palate, it’s aggressively effervescent, with faded red fruit, super high-toned cranberry, and lively acidity.
This cheekily named Chardonnay comes from a team of four female winemakers: Anna Matzinger, Luisa Ponzi, Kate Payne Brown, and Wynne Peterson-Nedry. It’s got a nose of ripe melon, pear, and bright lemon zest, with a touch of limestone and chalk. On the palate, it’s got a round body and extremely silky texture, with a vibrant minerally edge that softens slowly over the long finish. A delicious, mouthwatering Chardonnay to drink over the next decade.
This fantastic Chardonnay was crafted by Isabelle Meunier from Chardonnay clones 76 and 95, sourced from two blocks of the Anahata Vineyard. It’s got a lovely and delicate nose of pear, lemon zest, oyster shell, and wet stone. Full and lush on entry, the palate is full of ripe melon, lemon curd, and limestone. The full body fades into a mouthwatering finish, which leaves the palate buzzing and craving another sip. Delicious.
A selection from Benton Lane’s favorite blocks, this shows a deep concentration in the glass. Ripe, baked strawberry and cherry on the nose, with a hefty dose of baking spice. On the palate, a nice mix of ripe and underripe red fruit, with rhubarb and some high-toned cranberry. Fine tannins fade over the nice, agreeable finish. Not built for the super long haul, but should last 8 or so years in the cellar. Aged in 100% French oak, 22% of it new.
La Voluptueuse is one of the most successful auction lots of recent years, and the 2024 is a blend of two family estates: 75% comes from the Bergström Vineyard (Dundee Hills AVA) and the rest from La Spirale (Ribbon Ridge AVA). Harvested starting on September 1, this is extremely sweet-fruited on the nose, with powerful red and black fruits accented by baking spice. Plenty of the same on the palate, with lush red fruits showing clove and cedar accents that fade over the medium-long finish. Drink over the next decade.
Second-generation winemaker Ben Casteel crafted this special auction Chardonnay from own-rooted, organically farmed Wente vines planted in volcanic soils in 1977—vines that perished after the vintage. The deep golden color hints at this wine’s concentration. On the nose, it’s got deep notes of crème caramel, baked lemon, and a touch of clove and vanilla. It’s full and robust on the palate, with a sexy mouthfeel and flavors of baked apple and citrus, toast, and crème fraiche. A racy, energetic finish to robust Chardonnay that will thrill fans of fuller-bodied styles.
Hailing in equal parts from Cristom’s Jessie Vineyard and Bethel Heights’ Steep Slope, this wine comprises Pommard and Dijon clones 113, 114, 115, 667, 777 harvested starting on September 30. It shows gorgeous deep concentration that hints at the wine’s potential in the cellar. On the nose, it’s absolutely teeming with deep red and black cherry, yogurt, boysenberry, with hints of cinnamon, vanilla, and toast. Slight rose aroma too. The palate gives more earth than the nose implies, with turned soil and mushroom notes neck and neck with the red and black fruits. Silky on the palate, with a firm structure of grippy tannins and an acidic backbone that will usher this for a long stretch in the cellar. A gorgeous wine, perhaps the finest of this auction lineup, it will cellar nicely for 15 years or more.
From volcanic Nekia/Jory soils, this Pinot from winemaker Scott Sabbadini was harvested starting on September 16. It shows sweet strawberry fruit on the nose, with peach yogurt, dried mushroom, and black tea. On the palate, a fine balance of supple fruit and acid tension, with a vibrant finish that fades slowly on the tongue. It should evolve nicely for 8-10 years.