2017 The Art of Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
From the first sniff, you know the 2017 The Art of Chardonnay has that something extra to it. The nose of the glass fills with all of the high-quality Chardonnay expressions that one would expect from a top bottling: Delicate apples, softly spiced pear, roasted hazelnuts with nuanced cinnamon and caramel spices float effortlessly in the glass. Upon reaching the palate, the wine shows lively and youthful, with a well-balanced structure that conveys the fact that they took their time to get it right. The use of French oak is evident here and helps with the elegance of the wine across the mid-palate. With a long finish and full body, this wine is very good quality, but at this price point, it becomes a hard sell to the unfamiliar. There is stiff competition in the $100-bottle Chardonnay category. Nevertheless, this is a delicious Chardonnay. 4,600 bottles were made.
Critic scores
Average Score
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Aged in 40% new French oak. More steely and lean than their Reserve, with sharper citrus and more elaborate, poised structure. Stylised and lengthy. (RH)
The 2017 Art of Chardonnay is the top selection of around 12 barrels that are aged for 10 months, 60% new and 40% second-fill. It is a doppelgänger for a Chassagne-Montrachet on the nose - very well defined, the oak neatly integrated with orange blossom and subtle crushed stone aromas and becoming a little nuttier with time. The medium-bodied palate presents excellent balance, light walnut and smoke notes and good salinity toward the persistent finish. Give this a couple of years in bottle. Superb.