2022 Chardonnay Private Reserve
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Tasting notes
Where the Luminus cuvée is the estate's take on a fresher, more mineral-laced Chardonnay, the Private Reserve is always a richer, slightly more well-oaked cuvée, even if the current style here backed off dramatically from the richer, oak style of a decade ago. Revealing a lighter gold hue, the 2022 Chardonnay Private Reserve offers up a terrific nose of spiced apples, honeyed orange, toasted spice, and a hint of brioche. I love its overall balance on the palate, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered mouthfeel, bright, integrated acidity, and a great finish. I love it today, yet this has plenty of room for growth and will keep for another 7-8 years, if not over a decade.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
In a first, this vintage incorporates 15% Oak Knoll sourced fruit in addition to its traditional Oakville fruit. The 2022 Chardonnay Private Reserve is slightly honeyed on the nose, featuring ripe stone fruit and more modest notes of citrus. As expected, it's full-bodied and opulent but perhaps less over the top than previous years—for better or for worse, depending on your personal preferences. It's a livelier, more food-friendly wine than in the past, with a fine, silky texture and a great sense of elegance and restraint.
The 2022 Chardonnay Private Reserve is creamy and expressive in the glass. Lemon confit, marzipan, pastry, tangerine peel and a kiss of French oak all come together. This expansive, layered Chardonnay has a lot to offer.