Aromas of butter and toast are joined by mango, poached pear and Spanish almonds. The wine underwent surlie aging and was stirred for six months, which accounts for the rich entry and buttery mid-palate, but there’s not as much of the oak flavours that were hinted at in the nose. Instead, the theme is carried by apricot and sweet pear with a bite of Golden Delicious apple in the finish.
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2021 Chardonnay ‘Reserve Selection’, Raymond Vineyards
£3500Add to BasketSteeped in rich family history, Raymond vineyards can trace it’s origins in winemaking back to the days of the ‘old’ Napa Valley. Founded in 1970, Raymond vineyards produce high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
This 2020 Chardonnay ‘Reserve Selection’ has fragrant aromas of tropical and stone fruits that lead to notes of honeysuckle, accentuated by a touch of toasted almonds. This is a beautifully balanced wine with bright acidity and a creamy texture with a hint of minerality on the finish.
The grapes come from the estate vineyards in Jameson Canyon and selected Napa Valley growers. The estate vineyards are planted on rolling hills at the southern end of Napa Valley. The growing conditions in the Jameson Canyon are very similar to Carneros, the neighbouring appellation just west of the Napa River. Winds flow through Jameson Canyon, bringing the cooling influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean and providing a long, cool growing season which enhances and concentrates the intensity of the varietal characteristics. A proportion of grapes are harvested from vineyards in Carneros and the Napa Valley which lend more texture and structure to the blend.
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White Wine
2019 Linda Vista Chardonnay, Matthiasson
£3750Add to BasketSteve Matthiasson is a bit of a legend in Napa Valley and this wine is made from the Linda Vista Vineyard in the Oak Knoll region of Napa Valley. Oak Knoll is regarded as one of the classic Chardonnay spots in Napa as the cool winds and clay soils preserve zesty acidity and freshness, while the Napa sun provides richness and ripeness.
Steve leased the vineyard in 2011 and set about making a classic Napa Chardonnay. To get complexity, completeness and balance in his Chardonnay, Steve harvests grapes a number of different times during the ripening period to achieve a diversity of ripeness, the earlier harvests contribute acidity and minerality, and the later harvests contribute flesh and richness.
This 2019 Linda Vista Chardonnay has an exotic nose of Golden Delicious apples, yellow peaches, musk melon and honey that leads through to the palate. The medium acidity is balanced by pleasant fleshiness, finishing very clean with a hint of minerality. Refreshing and with moderate alcohol, this wine is all about pleasure, begging to be drunk up, with some oysters or a roast chicken and a big smile.
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2021 Estate Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, Talbott
£3750Add to BasketTalbott Vineyards is defined by its iconic Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, where the conditions are ideal for exceptional, cool-climate Chardonnay. Located in the northern area of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA in Monterey County, it has been designated one of California’s Grand Cru vineyards by Wine Enthusiast in 2016, for its ability to produce exceptional wines year after year. The vines were first planted in 1972 at an elevation of 168 metres and cover 228 hectares. Due to the proximity of the Pacific Ocean and the east-to-northeasterly exposure, cooling fog and frequent ocean breezes temper the warm sunshine, giving Sleepy Hollow one of the longest growing seasons in California and allowing each grape to develop concentrated flavours.
A bright, elegant Chardonnay, with aromas of Pink Lady apple, juicy pineapple, pear and caramelised brown sugar. Unctuous and opulent on the palate, with refreshing acidity offering beautiful balance to the ripe tropical fruit.
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White Wine
2019 Chardonnay, Sanford
£3900Add to BasketA luxurious and elegant Chardonnay with enticing notes of grilled peach, lemon and toasted hazelnuts. The palate of bright fruit and honeycomb is beautifully framed by crisp acidity and has a rich texture that carries through to the long, clean finish.
The fruit comes exclusively from the two estate vineyards in the cool-climate area of Sta. Rita Hills AVA: the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard and the La Rinconada Vineyard. The unusual east-west orientation of the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains, allows cooling maritime breezes from the Pacific Ocean- just seven miles away- to flow over the vineyards, bringing with them morning fog. Afternoon breezes dry out any residual moisture and reduce disease pressure on the vines and clusters. This distinctive mesoclimate promotes a long growing season. The vineyard is split into 52 blocks, each with individual soil composition and microclimate. Broadly, the marine-based soils in the ‘Sanford & Benedict Vineyard’ are a mixture of clay, loam, fractured shale and chert (rocky soil) which force the vine’s roots to dig deep into the soil for nutrients and hydration. The result is naturally low yields of small-berried, concentrated fruit delivering excellent minerality and acidity. The ‘La Rinconada Vineyard’ is made up of sandy, gravelly soil, which imparts precise minerality.
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White Wine
2021 Chardonnay ‘Along The Palms’, Scribe Winery
£4150Add to BasketScribe Winery produces vibrant, terroir-driven wines from Sonoma, California. The winery was founded in 2007 on a property that helped pioneer pre-prohibition Sonoma Valley wine-making and is managed by fourth-generation California farmers and brothers, Andrew and Adam Mariani.
In the glass, this is a fresh, textured and complex Chardonnay with expressive notes of pineapple and orange zest layered with a touch of jicama and sea spray, through to a long, exquisite finish.
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White Wine
2018 Chardonnay, Benevolent Neglect
£4250Add to BasketThe 2018 Benevolent Neglect Chardonnay was one of the most talked-about wines of 2019. They’re also one of the wineries that the eminent Jancis Robinson was referring to when she urged her readers to “ take advantage of the creativity of California’s new generation of wine producers.” So naturally, we are delighted to have finally secured a small allocation.
Don’t expect a big, over-the-top bottling, though—like all of Benevolent Neglect’s wines, the 2018 Chardonnay showcases precision and purity. Winemaker Matt Nagy says of his wine, “The goal with this wine was to eschew traditional ‘California Chardonnay’ as a style and make something more akin to a Cru Chablis.” As you might expect, the wine delivers on Matt’s vision. The nose leans towards fresh citrus flavours of yuzu and tangerine, with orange blossoms and hints of oyster shell. The palate is electric and direct, with white peaches joining the party alongside lemon marmalade, white pepper, and a mouth-watering finish.
This Chardonnay comes from a vineyard site that was special enough to warrant “a rehab project,” according to Matt. Organically farmed since the 1970s, the Chardonnay was ungrafted—a rarity in California that trades the eventual death of the vines by phylloxera, a soil-based parasite, for an extra layer of precision and intensity of flavour in the finished wines. The vines had been not-so-benevolently neglected over the last decade, but the raw material was so promising that Matt and his team poured in the work to bring the site back to greatness—and this bottling is proof that their effort was worth it.
As you might expect from the name, the winemaking style at Benevolent Neglect is to stay out of the way. The wines are fermented with native yeasts and this Chardonnay is aged in a minimal amount of new oak to allow the innate quality of the vineyard to shine through. Drink now – 2028.
