BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

BEST BUYS
Tapeña 2010 Tempranillo (Vino de la Tier-
85 ra de Castilla). This opens with smoky, rubbery
aromas along with dark berry and cherry scents.
It feels fresh and lively, with good body weight and
forward, candied flavors of cherry and raspberry. The
finish is nice, with cocoa notes and lasting sweetness.
Freixenet USA. Best Buy. —M.S.
abv: 13.5% Price: $10
CORRECTIONS
On page 16 of the May issue, Bedford Post was incorrectly
listed as being in Bedford Hills. It is located
in Bedford.
14 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | JULY 2012
92
Bratcher 2009 Mary Ellis Sierra Madre
Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley).
This marches in a completely opposite direction
from the oaky, fruity, buttery style of modern Chardonnay.
It’s bone dry and minerally, with mouthwatering
acidity and traces of oranges and limes. The minerality
is like a lick of cold steel. What a great food wine at a
great price, although production was a paltry 230 cases.
Editors’ Choice. —S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $25
92
Fort Ross 2010 Fort Ross Vineyard Chardonnay
(Sonoma Coast). Showing the brisk
acidity and minerality of this fine Chardonnay vineyard,
Fort Ross’s 2010 also shows rich, rewarding pineapple,
orange, butterscotch and vanilla flavors. Feels opulent,
a worthy followup to past vintages. —S.H.
abv: 14.1% Price: $32
92
Kendall-Jackson 2010 Grand Reserve
Chardonnay (Santa Barbara-Monterey).
For full review see page 7. Editors’ Choice.
abv: 13.5% Price: $21
92
Krutz 2010 Martinelli Road Chardonnay
(Russian River Valley). Napa Cabernet specialist
Krutz has been looking for a place to buy grapes
for Chardonnay. Now they have a Russian River bottling,
and it’s quite a good one. This shows the region’s
brisk acidity and minerality, as well as a purity of orange,
pineapple, apricot and green apple fruit, elaborated
with sweet new oak. Drink now, with upscale fare.
—S.H.
abv: 13.8% Price: $45
92
La Rochelle 2010 Rosella’s Vineyard
Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands).
For full review see page 7.
abv: 14.9% Price: $65
92
Lynmar 2010 La Sereinité Chardonnay
(Russian River Valley). This shows the
chilly vintage in the bright acidity that makes this wine’s
finish so zesty clean. The flavors are tantalizing, suggesting
golden apricots, limes and honey, but are complex
in minerals and creamy in lees, making it an intellectual
wine. Amazingly, it’s unoaked. —S.H.
abv: 14.1% Price: $70
92
Morgan 2010 Double L Vineyard Chardonnay
(Santa Lucia Highlands). A big,
flashy wine that’s fabulously rich in flavors of pineapple,
orange and lemon custard, and liberally accented
with the crème brûlée and vanilla from it’s time in
new French oak. Fresh acidity, minerality from the
soil and a dry finish bring an elegant touch to this ripe
Chardonnay. —S.H.
abv: 13.8% Price: $40
92
Ridge 2010 Estate Monte Bello Vineyard
Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains). A
fancy, rich Chardonnay that has concentrated, intense
Meyer-lemon tart, mineral and honeysuckle flavors, yet
it’s elegant, with streamlined acidity. Oak adds the perfect
touch of buttered toast. This showcases the opulence
of Chardonnay, while maintaining balance and
dryness. —S.H.
abv: 14.2% Price: $40
92
Sanguis 2010 Loner W10-a Chardonnay
(Santa Maria Valley). The Loner title seems
to refer to an absence of oak, although it’s not entirely
unoaked. The wine spent time in what the winemaker
calls “seasoned barriques” that lent no overt oak influence,
but let the wine breathe and mellow. Marked by
intense lemon, lime and mineral flavors, this bone-dry
wine is elegant and eccentric. —S.H.
abv: 14.3% Price: $60
92
Tondré 2010 Tondré Grapefield Chardonnay
(Santa Lucia Highlands). A good
Chardonnay from a vineyard well-known for its Pinot.
Simultaneously marked by brisk, citrusy acidity and
pure, long hangtime flavors, it’s delicious in orange,
apricot and peach fruit, with a clean minerality from the
soil. Editors’ Choice. —S.H.
abv: 13.5% Price: $25
91
Alpha Omega 2009 Chardonnay (Napa
Valley). After years of trying, Alpha Omega finally
hits the bullseye. It’s everything you want in a fine
Chardonnay, with ripe citrus and tropical fruit flavors,
a rich oaky, creamy overlay and bracing acidity. —S.H.
abv: 14.6% Price: $58
91
Arrowood 2009 Reserve Speciale Chardonnay
(Sonoma County). Buttery and
creamy, with tiers of tangerine and tropical fruit flavors
that turn honeyed on the finish. Despite the richness,
there’s elegance and balance throughout. —S.H.
abv: 14.9% Price: $40
91
D.R. Stephens 2010 Chardonnay (Napa
Valley). This Chardonnay offers nothing but
deliciousness, and doesn’t apologize for any lack of subtlety.
It’s as rich as a dessert pastry, with pineapple and
orange pie, buttered croissant and vanilla flavors. Brisk
acidity makes it all shiny and bright. It’s arguably one
of the best Napa Valley Chardonnays out there. —S.H.
abv: 14.7% Price: $50
91
Failla 2010 Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay
(Napa Valley). Made from fruit grown in
the Hudson Vineyard on the Napa side of Carneros, this
Chardonnay is rich, creamy and soft. There’s a touch of
dried herbs to the orange, banana-cream pie and butterscotch.
Opulent and dry, it’s made to drink now with
rich fare. —S.H.
abv: 14.1% Price: $50
91
Hestan 2009 Chardonnay (San Francisco
Bay). Hestan only makes this one white wine.
Though its beginnings might seem humble, the juice in
the bottle surely will change anyone’s mind. This is liquid
gold in color, with deep petrol aromas and a note
of toasted caramel oak.It’s superbly balanced, with minerality
winning the day—especially on the finish. This
wine starts out like a California blockbuster but finishes
very elegantly, with finesse. —V.B.
abv: 14.1% Price: $50
91
La Crema 2010 Chardonnay (Arroyo
Seco). For full review see page 8.
abv: 14% Price: $30
91
Lynmar 2010 Chardonnay (Russian River
Valley). The cool vintage has kept this wine tart