Bitter and dry. Seemed to have all of the not-so-pleasant aspects of a Sherry or Jura-like wine. Nothing like Kevin's Saint Marigold (which I have enjoyed in the past).
Notes of lemon zest, lemon curd, white peach, stone fruit, river rock, and a faint vanilla flavor. Ended with a unique pebbly and almost spicy minerality on the back end.
A beautiful wine; the AO Reserve Chardonnay is near-perfectly balanced, with silky lemon and citrus fruit flavors, some stone and tufa, light/ripe pear, and a gorgeous kiss of vanilla on the back…
As others have noted, this was a very modern version of an AO Chardonnay. The oak influence is very evident, with sourdough bread, buttered popcorn, and vanilla at the forefront. Some lemon curd and…
Very Sauvignon Blanc-like in its flavor profile. A bit of a steely aftertaste. This was a little tough for me after just having such a smooth Sauvignon Blanc ('14 AO 1155 SB) prior to consuming this.…
Similar to last week, except I didn't get that distractingly bitter, steely flavor on the back end as much. Served next to a 2013 Rivers-Marie standard Chardonnay, which bested the Lewis by a fair…
Same as my previous notes from six months ago. Very user-friendly Chardonnay, medium-bodied, with a decent mid-palate and great mouthfeel. Texture/viscosity are very nice considering it's an…
PnP with ready-to-go flavors of lemon, pear, popcorn, vanilla, and a little limestone. More buttery than mineral-driven, but not overdone or over-oaked so that it distracted from the overall fruit…
A very fine example of the varietal. The difference between this wine and the standard Chardonnay was indeed noticeable. Deeper, richer, and with a pleasant viscosity that coated the palate. Notes of…
Served fairly chilled (close to refrigerator temperature), which muted the flavors initially. Warmed up a little in the glass to reveal pleasant notes of lemon citrus, pear, wet stone, and faint…
An ok Chardonnay I suppose??...Not great by any stretch. Oak dominated with an alkaline finish. Lemon oil, buttered popcorn, vanilla extract, steel ball bearings, and river rock.
PnP at cellar temperature (56 degrees) with notes of lemon, lychee, bitter pear, and stone. Notable balance and good acidity. Thankfully, not overly oaked or buttery in any way.
A pleasant Chardonnay, with a nice linear, quasi-Burgundian profile. Soft lemon and poached pear notes, with some steely minerality. A little popcorn on the back end, but nothing overly buttery or…
PnP with energetic notes of lemon curd, lemon zest, pear, popcorn, sourdough, river rock, and a hint of vanilla and spice. More of a crip, acidic Chardonnay than an over-oaked fruit bomb, with the…
Same as my notes from last week. Had with friends, who thought it was in the 93-94 point range, citing more depth and viscosity than I thought it actually possessed.
A decent Chardonnay, but a bit of a linear expression of the Heintz site. This came in first among two other California Chardonnays, including a 2012 Talley Rosemary's Chardonnay and a 2011 Talbott…
Not a bad Chardonnay, with a bit of age showing nicely. Some reduction and sherry notes, with hazelnut, poached pear, lamp oil, browned butter, and lemon/citrus flavors.
This was surprisingly softer and less vibrant than other Rivers Marie chardonnays I've had - both in terms of the Thieriot and the Sonoma. I agree with some other comments about this wine seemingly…
A nice and smooth bottle of wine, with notes of lightly whipped lemon curd, pear, and some minerality on the back end. Much less complexity than I had anticipated, and a lot less energy and verve as…
