Saint Tryphon Chardonnay 2015
Heavily laden in fruit, Saint Typhon’s 2015 Santa Barbara Chardonnay explodes with aromas of mango, yellow peach, pineapple, vanilla, acacia blossom, and spice—in some ways, the expression is reminiscent of a lightly styled Sauternes. It’s concentrated, on both the nose and in the mouth, with lush and voluminous fruit that drenches the palate. As with […]
History Upland Vineyard Muscat 2014
Burnished gold in the glass, and crafted from Muscat Hamburg planted in 1935 within the Snipes Mountain sub-appellation of Yakima Valley—Stoller’s 2014 History Upland Vineyard Muscat is imbued with complex, layered aromas of preserved lemon, baked apple, dried orange peel, chamomile, wild daisy, and granulated honey. The lilting florally that’s present on the nose and […]
Jean Sipp Les Trois Terroirs Pinot Blanc 2016
Having studied at the Avize school in Champagne, winegrower Jean-Jacques Sipp’s 2016 Pinot Blanc Les Trois Terroirs has the sort of elegance and bracing acidity that is found in a good bubbly. Pale gold, it blooms with aromas of bruised pear, lemon pith, Persian melon, white flowers. It’s just off-dry and feels tart and tightly […]
Talley Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 2017
Talley Vineyards 2017 Arroyo Grande Estate Chardonnay displays copious amounts of baked apple and poached pear, buttercream frosting, hazelnut along with a dash of toast. Minerality shines on the palate, from entry to finish—infused with its terroir, both saline and limestone elements that form an energetic spine, nicely balancing out rich layers of toast and […]
Stoller Family Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2016
Aged in 30% new French oak with partial malolactic fermentation, Stoller’s 2016 Reserve Chardonnay opens with an opulent profusion of d’Anjou pears and golden apples followed by hawthorn flower and baker’s spice. Round and silky on entry, the palate tension between fruit and acid is simply gorgeous. Flavors evolve and linger; white peach, lemon curd, […]
Au Contraire Chardonnay 2016
The 2016 Au Contraire Chardonnay is a full-bodied effort, offering up classic aromas of orchard fruit—bruised pear and yellow apple followed by freshly buttered wheat toast and preserved lemon. Lots of juicy yellow fruit and creaminess at the core; the interplay of acid and toast is nicely done. Aged eight months in stainless steel and […]
LXV Wine Summer Satine 2018
In the past, LXV’s Summer Satine has always been a Condrieu-style Viognier, the newly released 2018 vintage holds court as a flaxen-hued Arneis, sourced from the only vineyard in Paso Robles that grows it. Ebullient notes of pear, underripe pineapple, and lemon zest are followed by lighter tones of citrus blossom, crushed herbs, and crisp […]
Királyudvar Tokaji Furmint Sec 2014
An aromatic kaleidoscope of Bosc pear, greengage, lily of the valley, corn shoot, almond paste, and smoky minerality, the 2014 Királyudvar Tokaji Furmint Sec is a vibrant shade of burnished gold in the glass. A mouthwatering and tensile acid spine brushes up against mid-and-fore palate texture from aging on lees. All in all, a gorgeous […]
Herdade do Rocim Olho de Mocho Reserva Branco 2014
The color of burnished gold, the 2014 Herdade do Rocim Olho de Mocho Reserva Branco offers up nuanced, complex aromas of quince paste, lemon curd, clover honey, marzipan, and golden raisins. At this stage in development, it’s softly textured—aging in terracotta and cement amphorae, as well as the presence of lees during aging, has graced […]
Château Peybonhomme-les Tours Le Blanc Bonhomme 2016
A blend of 50% Sauvignon blanc and 50% Semillon grown in clay-limestone soils, with 40% fermented in new barrels with the balance fermented and aged in concrete. It’s the color of goldenrod and emits prodigious waves of pungent musk melon, persimmon, and grilled pineapple along with a whiff of smoky nut oil and wet stone. In […]