2022 Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay Estate Chalone

“The Estate Chardonnay from Chalone is exceptional, aged 9 months in 33% new French oak. The nose greets you with sea spray aromatics, kumquat notes, a squeeze of grapefruit zest, and a compelling salty mineral character. The palate is pure, lean, and focused, with good fruit weight balanced by incredible tension and a brininess. The finish is layered with a medley of savoury spices—an element that has been notably missing from this wine in previous vintages. Racy and exotic, it offers remarkable freshness and intensity. This wine represents a significant turning point, heralding a new era of exceptional wines from this iconic estate—a real tour de force. Drinking Window: 2025 – 2035” – Jonathan Cristaldi

“Complex aromas of nuts and pears. Full-bodied and rich with a tight, beautifully reserved center palate. Ginger, lemon curd and pear notes too. Drink or hold.” Review Date: February 2024

“Precise aromas of lemon and lime meet with undertones of butter and oak on the nose of this wine. The palate is slightly fatter in expression at first, with more butter and macadamia nut, but then recedes toward zesty grapefruit peel flavors.” – Matt Kettmann Review Date: July 2024

Smart Buys “Very pretty and refined, showing juicy citrus and stone fruit flavors that are fresh and concentrated, with seamless, elegant notes of Honeycrisp apple, lemon curd and peach pastry, backed by a long, expressive finish.” – MaryAnn Worobiec Review Date: November 2024