MacRostie 2023 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

Typical of Sonoma coast grapes there is a level of minerality and leanness to this wine. It retains a structural acidity that supports the mild flavors. You will find soft lemon-lime, notes of guava and peach, Alpine wildflowers, a touch of resin, green apple and amber. Fermented in both French oak barrels (a combination of new and used) and stainless steel tanks, this allows for a judicious balance of crisp liveliness. The wine was aged briefly on the lees for a more rounded and seductive mouth feel. At a mere 28 bucks this wine, for this kind of quality, is a steal. 24,000 cases. ORIGIN: Sonoma Coast. ALCOHOL: 13.9%

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Vintage:

2023

Current Price:

$28.00USD

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IntoWine.com asked a panel of wine experts for their recommendation for the best Napa Chardonnay (for the money): California Chardonnay has entered a new golden era, and there are terrific, cooler climate examples available from all over the State. These great new Chards tend to be balanced, with minerality and strong acidity, as well as less obtrusive new oak than was the trademark of California Chardonnay even five years ago. Napa does not have a particularly cool climate, so the wines from this region tend to have more ripe, tropical fruit characteristics, and more richness, as well as more of a creamy mouth feel, thanks in large part to the new oak typically used for fermentation and aging. Nonetheless, for those who like the rich, tropical fruit style of Chardonnay, there are some great examples from Napa that are relative values. My top pick for the money is the Arnot-Roberts Watson Ranch Napa Valley Chardonnay, with the current release going for a relatively reasonable average of $35. Here I get more lemon and lemon cream than super-ripe tropical fruit, but with solid weight and creamy texture. Also quite good but considerably pricier, at about $50, is the Hestan Vineyards Chardonnay, made by sought after Napa winemaking consultant Mark Herold. - Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com

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MacRostie 2021 Nightwing Chardonnay

Vintage:

2021

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A+

Current Price:

$52.00USD

MacRostie has long preferred high elevation vineyards where the vines are totally exposed. In this case, Nightwing vineyard sits at 1,200 feet, open to long sunny days and cool ocean breezes. This Chardonnay is in the vein of classic California Chardonnays - a wine that straddles all the elements of excellent fruit, malo-lactic, oak aging, stainless steel fermentation, and proper acidity. All these things come together seamlessly, which allows this to be an ideal expression of how good Chardonnay can be.

MacRostie 2022 Chardonnay, Nightwing Vineyard

Vintage:

2022

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Current Price:

$66.00USD

The Nightwing Chardonnay, which I have reviewed favorably for several vintages, again nails something unusual – a Chardonnay that encompasses all the best of Chardonnay from everywhere – great acidity, expressive fruit, tactile mouth feel, pure pleasure, and lastly, a great food companion. You’ll notice lemon meringue, apricot, white peach, Asian pear, blood orange, a whisper of butterscotch and resin, and lime kefir. Keeping the fruit lively the wine was barrel fermented, aged on the lees for 10 months and only used 23% new French oak.

MacRostie 2023 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

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