The 2022 Chardonnay is a masterful balance of opulence and vibrancy. Stone fruit aromatics give way to a fresh tropical lift with underscoring hints of toasted marshmallow and flint. This Chardonnay is concentrated and focused on the palate, unfurling a rich tapestry of crushed Marcona almond, freshly baked macaroon, and preserved lemon buoyed by dynamic acidity. The palate is textured and rich while bright and lively, with intense, ever-evolving flavors that linger through the finish. Exhibiting a full, layered palate upon release, this wine will continue to gain detail and depth over the next 5-7 years of careful cellaring.
100% Chardonnay sourced from Pahlmeyer Estate Vineyard, Antica Vineyard, Hyde Vineyard, and Stagecoach
Decanter Review:
Having toured Stagecoach vineyard with Pahlmeyer winemaker Katie Vogt and talked at length about her strict focus on expressing site, I couldn't stop thinking about the Chardonnay wines I'd sampled. Near the end of the year, I got my hands on the 2022 release of this iconic label's Chardonnay, and it's the kind of structured, powerful, intensely flavorful Chardonnay that you'd want to stockpile in the cellar. It conveys a duality of power and restraint. Knockout aromas of white peach, pineapple, and salted lemon peel, coconut, and wet stone. Full and rich with an extraordinary depth of sweet, creamy fruit that inundates the palate, suspended by an equally penetrating core of saline minerality infused with a luxurious finish of almond pastry notes, dried apricots, and white flowers. One of the most memorable young Chardonnays I tasted all year. Aged in 100% new Francois Ferrer heavy toast oak barrels. Number four of my top 10 wines of 2023.
