Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes 2013, France

This is a delicious dessert wine from France. Sweet on the palate with great complexity.

Showing honey, yellow apples, apricots, spices, sweet nectar, white wild flowers, melons, brown sugar and spices.

Medium bodied with high acidity.

Well balanced with enough acidity to balance the sugars.

Thank you Barry for sharing this with me.

This needs no food. Just sip and enjoy.

This 8 year old will continue age nicely in the next 40 years.

Just delicious.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

97 points.

$160 (375 ml).

Rubia Wine Cellars Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay 2019 Russian River Valley, California

Light golden in color.

On the nose citrus, yellow apples, lemons, light oak and vanilla, spices and white pepper.

Full bodied, smooth and lightly creamy, with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with apples, melons, pears, spices, light oak, vanilla, earth, light herbs and white pepper.

Nice length on the finish with spices and light almonds.

This is a delicious Chardonnay from Russian River Valley. Well-balanced with a great mouth feel. Elegant and rich.

Good by itself right out of the bottle, and better when not too cold, when the complexity shows up.

The light oak notes are very intertwined and give a luxury feel to the wine.

A good quality wine that would be nice to revisit in 3 years.

I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

100% Chardonnay grapes were barrel fermented and aged in French oak barrels for 16 months on lees. A very small production of only 6 barrels were made.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65.

Belden Barns Wines Sonoma Mountain Sauvignon Blanc 2020, California

Light yellow in color with a golden hue.

Fruity nose with gooseberries, grapefruits, lemons, limes, light spices and minerals.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with grapefruit juice, lemons, citrus, apples, spices and white pepper.

Spicy finish with tangy limes.

This is a very enjoyable Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma Mountain. Easy drinking, crisp and refreshing. Fruit-forward and enjoyable by itself, with nice length on the finish.

A great porch wine. Nicely balanced with a touch of RS to balance the acidity.

13.7% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$30.

Krill Family Vineyards Pellet Estate Sunchase Vineyard Chardonnay 2017 Petaluma Gap, California

Deep golden in color, with a yellow tint.

On the nose citrus, limes, yellow apples, spices, light oak, vanilla and black pepper.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity and long fat legs.

Dry on the palate with limes, grapefruits, citrus, red apples, pears, light vegetables, spices, oak, light vanilla, light herbs and black pepper.

Tangy finish with bitter almonds.

This is a nice Oaky Chardonnay from Sonoma County. Rich and fierce, yet elegant. Tangy, spicy and interesting.

Needs 30 minutes to open up properly and relax. Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food. Spicy with nice complexity. The high alcohol is not noticeable, so you better watch out.

This 4 year old Single Vineyard still feels fresh and young, and will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

Barrel fermented and aged in French oak barrels for 16 months.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$68.

Patland Estate Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay 2017, California

Dark golden in color with a yellow tint.

Nose of citrus, oak, vanilla, spices, overripe pears, yellow apples, light earth, mushrooms and white pepper.

Full bodied, bold and smooth, with medium acidity, and lightly creamed.

Dry on the palate with vanilla, oak, ripened yellow apples, pears, lemons, citrus, spices, earth, bitter herbs, light vegetables, light bananas and peppercorn.

Long spicy finish with bitter almonds.

This is a nice Oaky Chardonnay from Napa Valley. Rich, and very much in your face kind of wine, that many love.

Showing nice complexity and mouthfeel. Good by itself as a sipping wine.

A good quality wine that I really enjoyed, although not my typical Chardonnay. It actually grew on me. At the beginning, it was too much for me, but it is much better with some air time, and when not too cold. So give it time.

This 4 year old is aging nicely and will continue to do so in the next few years. Will be interesting to see how it evolves in 3 years.

A very small production. This is bottle no. 1,207 of 4,545.

14.4% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$60.

Fall Creek Vineyards Lescalo Chenin Blanc 2019, Texas

Pale lemon in color, almost see through.

Very aromatic nose of white flowers, grapefruits, limes, green apples, spices, honey and minerals.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with lemons, citrus, green apples, grapefruits, spices, honeysuckle, earth, light river rocks and sea salt.

Tangy finish with light almonds.

This is a nice and easy drinking Chenin Blanc from Texas. Tangy and interesting.

The nose is kind of sweet, suggesting a sweet palate, yet it’s dry. Really enjoyed the nose.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with Ahi Tuna Sashimi.

A blend of 90% Chenin Blanc and 10% Sauvignon Blanc.

9.8% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$18.

Notre Vue Estate Winery Balverne Russian River Valley Forever Wild Chardonnay 2019, California

Pale lemon in color with a green/ golden hue.

Nice nose of lemons, cedar, vanilla, toast, limes, grapefruits, honeysuckle, apples, honeydew, earth, minerals, sea salt and light river rocks.

Full bodied, buttery and smooth, with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with citrus, green apples, grapefruits, bitter herbs, spices, oak, vanilla, peppercorn, wet leaves and earth.

Nice tangy finish with almonds.

This is a very enjoyable Chardonnay from Russian River Valley. Elegant, fruity and interesting.

Loved the nose here. Showing nice complexity with a great mouthfeel.  Would be nice to revisit it in 3 years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime (20 minutes).

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses, crackers and olives.

100% Chardonnay grapes were aged for 5 months in French Oak barrels (20% new).

14.2% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$35.

Brecon Estate True Acacia Head 2020, Central Coast, California

Pale lemon in color with a green hint.

Fruity nose of citrus, lemons, grapefruits, green apples, spices, tangerine and bitter herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with grapefruits, limes, lemons, green apples, bitter herbs, spices, light earth and white pepper.

Tangy finish with limes and almonds.

This is a nice Albariño from the Central Coast. Easy drinking, very refreshing and tangy.

Needs a couple of minutes to open up, and better when not too cold.

A good quality wine and good by itself or with food. I paired it with fresh berries, cheeses and crackers.

Albariño grapes were fermented in Acacia barrels. A small production of only 276 cases made.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$36.

L’Ecole No. 41 Winery Yakima Valley Old Vines Chenin Blanc 2020, Washington State

Pale lemon in color with a golden hue.

Nice gentle nose of flowers, citrus, tangerines, honey, white peaches, green apples, almonds, light spices and white pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with ripened green apples, spices, bitter herbs, black pepper and earth.

Tangy finish with bitter almonds.

This is a nice Chenin Blanc from Washington State. Easy drinking with a nice buttery mouthfeel. A New World wine with a touch of France.

Good by itself or with food.
Good right out of the bottle, and gets earthier as it opens up.

A good everyday wine and good for parties or the pool.

I paired it with a grilled octopus and Australian prawn on a bed of squid ink Pappardelle.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$17.

7 Cellars Elway’s Reserve Carneros Chardonnay 2019, California

Happy international Chardonnay Day!

Pale lemon in color.

Strong oaky nose of citrus, cedar, toast, vanilla, spices, golden apples and white pepper.

Full bodied, buttery and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with toasted oak, vanilla, spices, apples and black pepper.

Spicy finish with limes.

This is a young Oaky Chardonnay from Carneros. Big, bold and fruit forward.

Needs a couple of years in the bottle to mature. I had the 2018 recently, and it was much better so its worth waiting for a bit.

A little much for me at this point, but it was a big hit at the table.

A good quality wine that needs time to chillax.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$37.