West Coast Whites - Published in June 2012
From Chardonnay to Viognier and Grenache Blanc, find more than 100 additional whites reviewed, including some amazing values.
June 2012 Featured Collections
Red Wines From Chile Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Portuguese Reds and Ports Online Exclusives
Showing 1 thru -9 of 116
Roar 2010 Sierra Mar Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands)
- Editors' Choice
- Online Exclusive
- $45
A brilliant Chardonnay, displaying both the terroir of this fine upland part of Monterey County, and the cool vintage that let the grapes hang on the vines until they were perfectly ripe. Dazzles with pineapple and mango fruit, with a perfect jacket of sweet, vanilla-scented oak. Best of all is the acidity, which is brisk, bright and clean.
— S.H.
(6/1/2012)
Bergström 2009 Sigrid Chardonnay
- Editors' Choice
- $80
An astonishing wine, creamy and loaded with lush fruit flavors. The tropical fruits are just the beginning; layer upon layer of marshmallow, whipped cream, brioche, butterscotch, buttered nuts, toast and more keep piling on. With all that richness, it remains a billowy, pillowy Chardonnay, light as a feather, yet deep and dreamy.
— P.G.
(6/1/2012)
Domaine Serene 2009 Cote Sud Vineyard Chardonnay (Dundee Hills)
- Editors' Choice
- $49
Immaculately clean and fresh, this enters the mouth with a pleasing lightness, displaying a mix of stone fruits and a streak of vanilla wafer running right through its core. It opens in the glass, adding muscle and depth, ultimately developing into a complex and persistent wine that simply refuses to quit.
— P.G.
(6/1/2012)
Robert Mondavi 2009 To Kalon Vineyard I Block Fumé Blanc (Oakville)
- Online Exclusive
- $75
Another fabulous I Block from Mondavi. Exceptionally ripe in grapefruit, lime and gooseberry fruit, it shows the minerality of this vineyard that gives the wine grip and grounding. Bone-dry, with crisp supportive acidity and just the right amount of oak, it’s wonderful now. This is not a wine to age, but will hold over the next four years.
— S.H.
(6/1/2012)
De Loach 2010 Estate Collection Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)
- $35
Tastes of perfectly ripened pineapple, pear, lime and peach flavors. On the structural side is fine acidity and a tangy minerality, like a lick of cold steel. Oak is here, notable but perfectly integrated. Give this Chard a little time in the glass to breathe.
— S.H.
(6/1/2012)
De Loach 2010 Hawk Hill Vineyard Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)
- $44
You’ll find plenty of fruit, in the way of ripe mangoes, peaches, green apples and limes, as well as a sweet coating of smoky oak. However, it’s elevated by brisk acidity and a stony, tangy minerality that must come from the soil of this cool-climate vineyard.
— S.H.
(6/1/2012)
De Loach 2010 Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)
- $44
De Loach has been showing a fine appreciation of dryness, acidity and minerality in its recent Chardonnays, and this single-vineyard bottling is another example of what makes these wines so drinkably good. It’s rich in pears, pineapples and green apples, but that zesty stoniness lifts it into true complexity.
— S.H.
(6/1/2012)
Ken Wright 2010 Pinot Blanc
- Editors' Choice
- Online Exclusive
- $25
This could be the best Pinot Blanc in Oregon right now, with lushness from barrel fermentation offset by the delicate balance throughout. Despite its modest 12.5% alcohol, this is a wine of considerable depth, with a mix of ripe yellow fruits and persistent, toasty highlights.
— P.G.
(6/1/2012)
Showing 1 thru -9 of 116
advertisement
What We're Tasting
2009 Monte Pinadillo Ciranza
Black fruit, raisin and minerally aromas combine to create a formidable…
Facebook Activity
advertisement
Twitter Activity