2015 Auteur Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

The entry-level Chardonnay is the 2015 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast, which is all Wente clone aged in 25% new French oak, with its malolactic fermentation blocked. It’s a smoking good base cuvee that offers lots of caramelized citrus, white flowers and hints of toasty oak in a layered, clean, crisp and vibrant style. Drink it over the coming 5-7 years. This was a brilliant lineup of wines from the husband and wife team of Kenneth and Laura Juhasz, self-proclaimed Burgundy lovers who look for cooler, hillside, rocky sites to work with. Their wines all come from purchased fruit. Classic, old-school, balanced Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are the name of the game here.