Wine & Spirits - October 2020 - 50

YEAR'S BEST CALIFORNIA CHARDONNAYS
young and old vines. The wine initially seems
to be all about golden fruit, from apricot to
nectarine, pithy grapefruit acidity and savory
grape-skin tannins. It develops length and
elegance as it opens with air, a salty tension
keeping the richness in line. Decant it for a
savory veal stew. -J.G. (207 cases) §
521110

91 | Dutton Estate

$42

2017 Russian River Valley Kyndall's
Reserve Chardonnay ^ Ripe and fully mature,
this wine offers an intriguing fresh nuttiness
over its dark fruit tones of mango chutney,
nectarine skin and orange zest. As bold and
creamy as the wine is, that fruit-zest acidity keeps coming back to refresh the finish,
resolving the flavors toward buttered pear.
Ready to drink with a gingery chicken fricassee. -J.G. (733 cases) §

the line of the acidity, all of it feeling clean
and nonchalantly structured for age. -J.G.
(270 cases) §
521034

91 | Kosta Browne

$160

2017 Russian River Valley Bootlegger's
Hill Chardonnay ^ This vineyard rises above
the fog line, where two blocks of chardonnay grow in Goldridge soils at 750 feet in
elevation. Planted in 2010, from Hyde material, the vines benefit from their proximity
to the cool forest air of a neighboring redwood grove. Their fruit made a big, bold,
crazy-rich chardonnay in 2017, with luscious
baked-peach and buttered-pear flavors that
completely saturate its oak influence. Savory
and intense, with a fern-like coolness in the
end, this manages its grand scale with grace.
-J.G. §
521007

91 | MacRostie

520993

90 | Balletto

$29

90 | Ferrari-Carano

$32

2017 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
(Best Buy) ^ Clean and bright, this wine's
estate-grown fruit shines through the toasty
leesiness picked up during its spontaneous
fermentation in barrels. It's a juicy, fresh
white with clarity and elegance, focused on
fruit. For any roast fish. -J.G. (750 cases) §
517538

2018 Russian River Valley Kent Ritchie
Vineyard Chardonnay ^ All about generosity, from vanilla cream to savory pastry notes,
this is round and luscious, lasting on toasted
almond and apricot scents. It's a classical
Russian River chardonnay to pour at brunch
with poached salmon. -J.G. (377 cases) §

2017 Russian River Valley Tré Terre Chardonnay (Best Buy) ^ The Ferrari-Carano team
farms several vineyards in the Russian River
Valley, growing the fruit for this supple, concentrated chardonnay. Its flavors marry the
buttery richness of malolactic conversion
with a pale, lemony ghosting of fruit. Smoky
and structured, it needs six months to a year
in bottle to mellow. -J.G. (W&S 12/19) §

519302

521123

$46

520996

91 | Eleven Eleven

$48

2018 Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch
Chardonnay ^ Oak presents the fruit of this
wine, launching it from a backdrop of toasted
hazelnut and brown butter into deep flavors
of yellow plum and candied citrus rind. While
rich, it's also clean, the flavors mouthwatering as they open, with racy acidity. Built to
drink now, in the company of grilled salmon.
-J.G. (265 cases) §

521031

91 | Gary Farrell

$55

2017 Russian River Valley Westside Farms
Chardonnay ^ This is tight and lean, with
green notes that panelists described as tart
apple, green melon rind and, for me, a pure,
bold flavor of lime. There's some mace-like
spice running through the fruit, following

WINE & SPIRITS

OCTOBER 2020

91 | Marimar Estate

$39

91 | Trig Point

$22

2018 Russian River Valley La Masia Don
Miguel Vineyard Chardonnay ^ A fragrant
chardonnay with scents of lilies and fresh
apricots, this tastes youthful and clean. While
it's barrel fermented and undergoes malolactic conversion, it isn't overtly oaky or buttery;
instead, a touch of vanilla cream adds gentleness to the fruit. Serve it with pork roasted
with apricots. -J.G. (W&S 4/20; 2,844 cases) §
521022
2017 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
(Best Buy) ^ Like a cool, gentle rain, this is
more a textural pleasure than an overtly
fruity chardonnay. The fruit that's there is
crunchy, like wild carrots and pale ginger, the
texture creamy and broad, with grape-skin
tannins enriching the middle. It's salty and
fat in a way that would cozy up to scallop
sashimi and pickled ginger. -J.G. (600 cases) §

90 | J Vineyards

$33

2018 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
(Best Buy) ^ As toasty as this wine's puff-pastry scent may be, the fruit itself is fresh and
fragrant, with clean apricot flavors and the
zingy tartness of peach near the pit. Knock
out the toasty oak with something grilled,
like chicken sausages. -J.G. §

521124

90 | J Vineyards

$50

2017 Russian River Valley Bow Tie Vineyard Chardonnay ^ Rich scents of litchi and
Buddha's hand give this an exotic fruit char-

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Wine & Spirits - October 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - October 2020