Browse Tag

chardonnay

Levrette Dirksen

[marnes blanches]Domaine des Marnes Blanches 2013 Côtes du Jura Chardonnay “En Levrette” (Jura) — Soulful. Rocks, well-earned sweat, deep amber sunglow. Everything’s present but everything’s elusive. I love this wine. (11/16)

Prince’s ex

[kumeu river chardonnay]Kumeu River 2000 Chardonnay Maté’s Vineyard (Kumeu) — This was, I think, the last cork-finished vintage at Kumeu River, and it was somewhat amusing to not be able to just twist it open. It’s aged well, with the minerality it showed in its youth now fully fleshed, its brighter fruit turning to bronzed representations thereof, and yet all the lively structure still intact. Some complexity. Very, very well balanced. It could go a good deal longer, I’d think, and more complexity will undoubtedly result, but for my palate I’d think now to five years from now would be ideal. New Zealand can make world-competitive chardonnay, and Kumeu River is a proof of concept. (8/16)

Down at the A&P

A&P de Villaine 2005 Côte Chalonnaise “La Digoine” (Burgundy) — Faded and tenuous, yet the thin red persistence eventually convinces. It’s a bit too old, though. (7/16)

Copain, no gain

[copain]Copain 2014 Chardonnay “Tous Ensemble” (Anderson Valley) — Confident, bright, straightforward. Slightly underripe white apricot and pollen. Good structure, well-balanced. (5/16)

A stone

de Moor 2014 Chablis Coteau de Rosette (Chablis) — Narrower than the usual broad de Moor style, but with plenty of verve and cut. Seems like it should age pretty well. (5/16)

Duplexing

Duplessis 2012 Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru (Chablis) — Mineral salts, but whence the oxidative nature? It’s broadening at the moment, and thus pleasant, but I wonder if this isn’t suffering under a failed cork, because the note seems to surprise everyone who’s had or sold the wine. (4/16)

Rachais, chantais

[boulard]Francis Boulard Champagne Brut Nature “Les Rachais” (Champagne) — 100% chardonnay, 2005 harvest, disgorged 11 April 2011. Peanuts, mild oxidation, broadness, length, depth. I wouldn’t hold it, but it’s fascinatingly iconoclastic right now. (4/16)

Savary & sweet

Savary 2008 Chablis (Chablis) – Pristine. Shells and stones, rocks and bones, with a white-noise intensity that muscles through the calcified debris. Quite striking. This is my kind of chardonnay…though admittedly there’s not much competition for my affections, outside the bubbly realms. (7/12)

Brown-out

Brun “Terres Dorées” 2004 Beaujolais Blanc (Beaujolais) – Dead. Frankly, well past dead and into decomposition. Blame the closure. (6/12)

For the trees

Vincent Dauvissat 2007 Chablis La Forest 1er Cru (Chablis) – From a bottle that’s obviously been open a little too long, and so: faded rocks, mostly. There’s a lot of tactility and intensity, but the details of both are muted. I’d need a fresher bottle to say anything more useful about this wine. (3/11)