Lot 330 is from the same producer as Lot 328 2020 Sonoma County Chardonnay and it is the better wine of the two, just a bit younger.
2021 is clearly a fantastic vintage for Chardonnay and, luckily, I have a 100 more cases this time :-). I paid a bit more for the '21, but not too much, so I can hold the price.
More good news, I purchased the wine and the barrels. It's a bit young still so we will store it through harvest to get a little more time in oak. I anticipate bottling and shipping in December.
Here is the copy from Lot 328 for reference...I've tweaked the copy a bit to reflect the quality of the '21 vintage and the tasting notes are different.
Some of the best deals come over the transom this time of year as folks finalize their blends or look at the upcoming harvest and make some tough decisions on how much inventory they want to hold.
This is one of those deals.
From an absolutely legendary producer comes this fantastic Chardonnay. They would only sell the wine as "Sonoma County" appellation to protect their identity and all I am able to relay to you is that the wine comes from 1500-2000-foot-elevation vineyards not far from the Napa Valley border.
This wine is the definition of no expense spared production and sees 100% new French oak from the worlds best artisan coopers. Their various Chardonnay's sell for well over $100/bottle.
Given the impending harvest we were able to secure this wine at a quite advantageous price.
Now, lets get down to brass tacks - this is not a $100/bottle Chardonnay. I think its a it better than Lot 328 and more like a 93-94-point wine, not a 96-99-pointer, which is likely why we got our hands on it - it just didn't make the cut. Its far more fairly priced in the $50-60 range to be frank.
I think that's OK, though. Priced at $23/bottle, it is still a spectacular deal - I would even say back up the truck-worthy.
Pale yellow straw in the glass. Gorgeous, succulent bouquet of lychee, orange marmalade, white peach, vanilla blossom and baked baguette, with a whisper of oyster shell minerality giving lift and freshness. Still youthful and evolving, the nose is going to develop into something really fantastic with a few more months of barrel. Rich yet vibrant on entry, with a broad and generous mid-palate weight concentrating in a saline mineral finish, with lingering notes of toasted brioche, allspice, and vanilla creme brulee. Fantastic verve throughout but the wood notes are dominant right now. The additional barrel time will give the fruit time to come up. Trust me, this is going to be fantastic!
100% Chardonnay
