Chardonnay

Always a great wine, this luxury cuvee is one of the great wines of Champagne.  A real treat to drink.  Gold green in color with a lot of tiny bobbles.  The nose is big and excellent with chalk, slight brioche, a bit of lemon cream, and slightly nutty.  On the palate, this is a big wine but still very young.  Great acidity.  Lemons, slight vanilla, with lots of depth and complexity.  A very long finish.  This needs a few more years until peak but is delicious today.  The score has a couple more points of upside possible.  It easily has fifteen more years left at the top.  It will go with ju

Salon is my favorite Champagne.  Unfortunately, it's price makes it a very rare treat indeed.  Having tasted this wine on release, it didn't seem worth the price, but with some bottle age, this wine was spectacular.  It is, of course, 100% Chardonnay.  Silver gold in color with ton of very tiny bubbles.  The nose has slight toast, a slight amount of oxidation, plenty of green apples and just a slight ginger note.  Wonderful minerality.  On the palate, this has great acidity.  It is a very lively wine that dances across the palate.  Crisp apples, minerals and slight lime/lemon notes.  A long

Ramey makes some of the best California Cabs that are mass distributed.  That is not to say they are inexpensive but they are made in sufficient qualtities to be generally available.  This one has a light golden color.  The nose is pretty with peaches, cream and slight lemon curd.  Not as much oak as many Ramey wines.  On the palate, this is full bodied with a creamy texture.  The peaches and lemon come thru along with a bit of yeastiness.  Good finish.  This is a robust Chardonnay but has plenty of energy to work with or without food.  It will match up well with salads and heartier seafood

Light golden in color.  The nose has some flint along with a lemon/lime note.  On the palate, this is crisp although slightly sweet.  Some lemon candy.  Also a bit of salinity on the finish.  Short finish.  This is a solid Chablis which probably should be consumed in the next three to five years.  

Light golden in color.  The nose has minerals, smoke, slight gun powder and plenty of peachces.  On the palate, there is a sour lemon quality that is very nice.  Clean with lots of energy.  This is a round wine but the energy replaces some of the acidity.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now, it should last for anothr five to seven years.  

This was oxidized.  It's hard to say Pre-Mox since it is 17 years old, but this should not have been in this shape.  It had been purchased a decade or so ago and well stored since then.  Deep gold in color.  The nose is slightly oxidized, but not quite to a "sherry" level.  On the palate, there is some lime fruit and a bit of butterscotch.  But it is oxidized more than the nose.  Perhaps still a bit drinkable but why?  White Burgundy issues have extended into some Chablis wines, but it's hard to say that is what happened here.  This seems more of a less than great cork and a 17 year old Cha

This was the surprise of the Chablis tasting.  My first time trying this winery.  It was my #2 WOTN and the group's #1.  Yellow/gold in color.  The nose has a nice flinty quality along with green apples.  On the palate, this has a slightly oily texture.  Great acidity.  Tart apple fruit over a chalky base.  Also a bit of lemons.  Long finish.  This should drink well for a decade more.  It will go great with sea food or lighter salads.  Certainly a winery that I need to explore further.  

Medium golden in color.  The nose has green apples with a slight chalkiness.  On the palate, there is a slight gun powder note with tart lemons.  Plush texture.  Slightly yeasty.  Is this barrel fermented?  An interesting take on Chablis that I very much enjoyed.  Seemed to be love or hate it at the table.  It does seem a bit advanced for its age.  If this bottle was representative, it probably should be consumed in the next five years.  

Silvery/green/gold in color.  The nose has gun powder, slight lemons on a medium intensity nose.  On the palate, this has a slick texture.  Chalk and minerals with slight green apple flavors.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now and a bit leaner (in a good way) than many of the 2015's.  It should be good drinking for at least the next decade.  It should go well with seafood and lighter salads.  

Silvery gold in color.  The nose is initially quiet with slight gun powder.  That becomes more pronounced with air and in addition, some green apples.  On the palate, this is slightly oily in texture.  Tart lemon-lime flavors.  Juicy acidity.  It does seem riper in style for a Chablis.  This is still young and should continue to come together for the next few years and be good for a decade more after that.