2016 C Blanc du Castel

The 2016 Chardonnay Blanc du Castel was aged for 11 months in one-third new French oak. It comes in at 14% alcohol. The first bottle that I had of this opened with a heavy nose of smoke and flint, probably reduction. I tried another a few weeks later, and it was already far better. Reductive nuances often do blow off in time or with air. Once past that issue, this is bright and graceful, handling its wood rather well. it shows good concentration, a smooth, buttery texture and a tasty finish that is rather clean. This longer it was open, the better it was—a very good sign.