There is a story to this wine, and one that explains the reason why the bottle was shot in its thoughtful tissue wrap—you see, I took it on a date, this was the second date, mind you, with a person who by all accounts enjoyed wine immensely. And somewhere in the midst of that date, my would-be suitor received a text from his ex-fiancée and promptly ended said date. Only later would an explanation be granted in the form of an apologetic email, the bottle, sadly left behind…
Knowing Tony Rynder’s wines as I do from revisiting Tendril vintage after vintage, his thumbprint is evident here too. From memory, because I do remember this wine—there is rather exquisite palate tension. Tony does not shy away from oak, but he’s very good at balancing it, the effect is one of seamless melding between Chardonnay and wood (always French) giving the impression of hazelnut skins, orchard fruit that flirts with tropical notes, forest honey, and wood spice. In the mouth, it’s poised, with a center of gravity made lighter by a coursing thread of acidity. 12.9% ABV | Sample
91 Points