Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

During my tasting visit to the winery in August 2018, Mark Aubert informed me that they were all done picking before the fires in 2017. In fact, I had visited Aubert in 2017 at the end of August, which was the first day of their harvest. Harvest went on for about four more weeks. Mark informed me that the winery was closed up tight during the fires to prevent smoke infiltration. Power went off for about an hour but they have a back up generator, so there was little if any impact on the wines. Ultimately, wines don’t lie, and the 2017 tank samples that I tasted with Mark back up up all the information he gave me.

As usual, these 2017 Chardonnays took 4-6 months to complete fermentation. Therefore, Mark pointed out, the alcohol accumulates slowly and integrates very well over that time. It’s worth noting that Mark doesn’t rack super clean, offering a little sur lie savoriness to the wines. As always, he never filters anything.

The Pinots saw about 10-15% whole cluster and were bottled in June 2018. All the 2017 Chardonnays will be bottled in mid-December 2018. There is an incredible clarity and depth of flavors revealed in the Chardonnays in particular already and, as readers will take away from my notes and scores, I couldn’t be more excited about what 2017 has delivered in the Aubert vineyards.

2017 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-99 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay CIX Estate has an incredibly intense nose of lemon peel, green mango, fresh pears and powdered ginger with suggestions of baking bread, chopped cashews, lightly buttered popcorn and crème brûlée. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and bold with a racy line carrying the citrus and savory layers to an incredibly long finish.

2017 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 96-99 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard has quite a decadent nose of pineapple upside down cake, almond croissant, peach cobbler and apple crumble with hints of marzipan and orange blossoms. The palate is full-bodied, rich, powerful and opulent in the mouth, with a wonderful oiliness to the texture and a seamless backbone of freshness to give it just enough lift, finishing very long and savory. This is a powerhouse that should offer amazing aging potential.

2017 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96-99 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard delivers an incredibly spicy nose featuring allspice and nutmeg with notions of paraffin, oyster shells and brioche over a core of pink grapefruit, lemon meringue pie and butterscotch with a touch of aniseed. Super concentrated, vibrant and multilayered on the full-bodied palate with a beautiful creamy texture and epic length, it’s very tightly wound—this should be very long lived.

2017 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard opens with a gloriously gregarious, exotically scented nose of gingerbread and lemongrass with a core of pineapple, green guava and mango plus a hint of honeycomb. The palate is big, rich, super opulent and sexy with fantastic texture, concentration and seamless freshness, finishing long.

2017 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay Lauren Estate has an arresting nose of lemon barley water, white peaches, grapefruit and toasted almonds with touches of croissant, lime leaves, sassafras and allspice plus a hint of candied ginger. Full-bodied and jam-packed with energetic citrus and spice layers, it has a gorgeous satiny texture and fantastic freshness, finishing very, very long with bags of grace!

2017 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

The first vintage of this wine, the 2017 Chardonnay Powder House…aromas charge out of the gate exhibiting energetic ripe peach, grapefruit, green tea and sea spray notes with touches of candied orange peel, ginger ale and lemon butter. Full-bodied, very refreshing and beautifully creamy in the mouth, it has layer upon layer of citrus and spice flavors, finishing with amazing persistence.

2017 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate springs out of the glass with vivacious mandarin peel, white grapefruit and white peaches scents with nuances of yuzu, lime leaves, crushed stones and honeysuckle plus a spicy waft of coriander seed. The full-bodied palate is packed with energy, with a lovely racy line cutting through the intense citrus and spice notes, finishing with compelling, long-lingering mineral and citrus pip notes. Again, this should be stunning with 5-7 years in bottle.

2017 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay UV-SL is a little broody right now, slowly revealing notes of warm apricots, apple pie and pear tart with suggestions of crème caramel, honey toast, sassafras and lime blossoms with a hint of candied popcorn. The palate is full-bodied with a wicked backbone of freshness lifting the densely packed stone fruit and savory layers, finishing very long and yeasty.

2017 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95+ Points

The medium ruby-purple colored 2017 Pinot Noir CIX Estate has beautiful red raspberries, cranberry pie and Bing cherries scents with nuances of lavender, dried herbs, red roses and tilled soil plus a touch of underbrush. The palate is full, firm and grainy with lovely ripe tannins and a great core of vibrant red fruit, finishing long and perfumed.

2017 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

The 2017 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is medium ruby-purple colored with exuberant redcurrants, black cherries and black raspberries notes with hints of violets, chocolate box and rose hip tea. The palate is full-bodied with a firm frame of fine-grained tannins and amazing freshness, finishing very long and juicy.

2017 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2017 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard gives gorgeous black cherries, pomegranate, fresh blackberries and wild blueberries scents with suggestions of licorice, potpourri, chocolate tart and clove with a touch of dried Provence herbs. The palate is full-bodied with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the flamboyant black and blue fruits, finishing with an exciting herbal lift.

Mark Aubert’s Ambition:
The Napa native makes some of California’s most sought-after Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs

2016 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93

Offers a long embrace of oak, with subtle toast amid the taut green apple, fig and melon flavors, easing on the finish. Drink now through 2021.
–JL

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 93

Features a core of green apple, pear, honeydew melon and toasty flavors, showing a touch of pithy citrus in the texture, ending clean. Drink now through 2024.
–JL

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95

Powerful and well-framed, offering a seductive mix of green apple, pear and gooseberry flavors that feature savory accents. The creamy finish offers notes of honey, spice and smoke. Drink now through 2024.
–KM

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96

Voluptuous and creamy, with densely packed flavors of apple pastry, pear tart and peach and hints of mango that are long and rich. The plush, complex finish is filled with notes of spice and dried herbs. Drink now through 2026.
–KM

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Pure, precise and refined, with luscious apple, red peach and lemon curd flavors that are swathed in plush spiciness. Light smoky notes linger on the focused, minerally finish. Best from 2019 through 2026.
–KM

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 92

Vibrantly juicy, offering concentrated aromas and flavors of apple pastry, pear tart and lemongrass, supported by fresh acidity. The spicy finish is long and richly spiced. Drink now through 2022.
–KM

2016 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93

Well-honed, offering layers of concentrated white fruit flavors that are dominated by a deft mix of citrus, crisp apple and peach. The minerally finish lingers, with fresh acidity. Best from 2020 through 2025.
–KM

 

2016 Aubert Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Score: 92

The plum, raspberry and blueberry flavors are pure and direct, ending long and clean. Drink now through 2024.
–JL

Located in Napa yet pulling mostly from top sites in Sonoma and Carneros, Mark Aubert continues to work his magic with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These latest releases show the elegant, balanced style of the 2016 vintage, yet still have the rich, powerful, yet incredibly pure style that’s the hallmark of this brilliant estate. While the quality of the Chardonnays from Aubert is well known, don’t miss a chance to try his Pinot Noirs. These 2016s are unquestionably the finest to date. While there are few mailing lists worth being on, this is one of them!

2016 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

From an estate vineyard located just beside the Lauren vineyard, in the Sonoma Coast AVA that was planted in 2008, the 2016 Chardonnay CIX Estate comes from volcanic and goldridge soils and was brought up in 80% new French oak. It’s another wine that builds with time in the glass and offers a full-bodied, powerful, yet shockingly elegant profile. Incredible notes of caramelized white peaches, tangerines, white flowers, and ample salty, seaside mineral characteristics, as well as terrific purity, make for a singular, awesome Chardonnay to drink over the coming 4-6 years.

2016 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 100 Points

Another perfect wine is the 2016 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard, which comes from a site on the east side of the Russian River Valley. All from a suitcase clone from Montrachet, it has a perfumed, vibrant bouquet of caramelized green citrus, crushed rocks, orange blossom, and candied ginger. While it’s a full-bodied, powerful wine, it has an incredible sense of freshness and purity, with more saline/oyster shell notes developing as it sat in the glass. It’s another tour de force from Mark Aubert!

2016 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 99 Points

Borderline perfection, the 2016 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard has a liqueur of rocks-like minerality as well as more Burgundian candied lemon, white flowers, and oyster shell characteristics. Brought up in 80% new French oak, it has a deep, rich, concentrated profile, vibrant acidity, and remarkable purity.

2016 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

From the “King of Carneros,” the 2016 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons is one of the larger production cuvées from Aubert and comes from two Burgundian clones. Bottled in December, it gives up a huge bouquet of citrus, orange blossom, caramelized ginger, and toasted bread in a rich, opulent style that stays impeccably balanced and fresh. Brought up in 70% new French oak, it’s going to sing for 4-6 years, and last even longer.

2016 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

My favorite in the lineup (although they’d all qualify as a desert island wine) was the 2016 Chardonnay Lauren Estate. Brought up in 100% new oak and with a vibrant gold color (as well as a hint of green), it boasts off-the-chart aromas of caramelized orchard fruits, marzipan, orange peel, Asian spices and honeyed flowers. Deep, multi-dimensional, layered, and perfectly balanced, it hits the palate with a massive blast of fruit, yet is seamless and weightless. Don’t miss it!

2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 99 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate comes from a site in Napa Valley and is undeniably the most opulent and sexy in the lineup. Huge orchard fruits, lemon curd, white flowers, and orange liqueur notes give way to an opulent, thick and layered beauty that still just glides across the palate, with no sense of heaviness. While it was brought up in 80% new French oak, it’s absorbed every bit of it and is just a heavenly Chardonnay that could come from nowhere else.

2016 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

From a cooler site, the 2016 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is a perfect wine any way you look at it. Caramelized pineapple, marzipan, citrus, candle wax, and layers of complex Chardonnay fruit all flow to a beautifully pure, silky, perfectly balanced 2016 that has depth, freshness, complexity, and length. It develops even more complexity with time in the glass and is a brilliant effort from this estate. As with the other releases here, it was brought up in 80% new French oak.

2016 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2016 Pinot Noir CIX Estate is a darker, earthier effort that has a kiss of Côte de Nuit in its black cherry, savory herbs, scorched earth, and forest floor aromas and flavors. It’s powerful and concentrated, yet also silky and elegant, with fine, fine tannin on the finish. Drink it anytime over the coming decade or more.

2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

Leading off the Pinot Noirs, this is unquestionably the finest set of releases from the estate I’ve ever tasted, and it appears some of the magic Mark finds with his Chardonnays is finding its way over to the Pinot Noirs. The 2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is 100% Calera clone from a site in the Sonoma Coast and was brought up in 60-70% new French oak. It also saw around 10-20% whole clusters. Incredible ripe cherries, strawberries, exotic spices, blood orange, and floral notes all soar from this transparently colored, multi-dimensional, layered Pinot Noir that has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannin, and a finish that just won’t quit. It’s the finest Pinot Noir ever made from this address.

2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard flirts with perfect and is another incredible effort from the Sonoma Coast. Deeply colored, with ripe cherries, underbrush, black currants, graphite, blood orange, and forest floor notes, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ample tannin, a big mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. Despite being a rich, powerful wine, it shows remarkable elegance and purity, as well as a weightless, seamless texture. Brought up in 70% new French oak, drink it over the coming decade.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2026

Racy and unctuous in the glass, the 2016 Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is one of the most viscous wines in this range. This opulent, dense Chardonnay is going to need quite a bit of time to be at its very best, but it is impressive, even at this early stage. The CIX gets more new oak than most of the other Chardonnays, and yet the wood is very nicely integrated.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 95+
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2026

The 2016 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard is one of the more open-knit, accessible wines in the range, and the first of these Chardonnays I would choose to open. Orchard fruit, dried pear, flowers, almonds and mint are all laced together in this pretty, gracious wine. It will be interesting to see if the 2016 gains a bit more flesh over time. Today, it is a bit on the compact side.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

Aubert’s 2016 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is creamy, ample and expressive, but also light on its feet, as so many of these wines are. Chamomile, orchard fruit, lemon confit and melon notes fill out the wine’s frame effortlessly. The veil of reduction that is often found in the Hudson is present, but very much buried by the sheer intensity and richness of the fruit.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

The 2016 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons is so delicate, precise and nuanced. In 2016, the Hyde leans more towards the citrus end of the spectrum. Candied lemon peel and lifted floral notes are some of the signatures in this striking, beautifully delineated Chardonnay. In most vintages, Hyde tends to give a decidedly forward style of Chardonnay. Mark Aubert’s 2016 is all finesse.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

A thrilling wine, the 2016 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is the most expansive of these wines. The interplay of creamy fruit, acid and structure is utterly captivating. Medium in body, the Lauren is a wine of impeccable balance and understated class that makes its case more with finesse and pure power. This parcel is planted with a combination of Mt. Eden, Corton-Charlemagne, Hyde and Hudson Chardonnay clones. Perhaps it is that combination of clonal material that results in a wine of unusual complexity and layers. The refreshing, gracious finish only adds to the wine’s considerable appeal. In a word: superb.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96+
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2028

The 2016 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is powerful and phenolically intense. Orchard fruit, mint, white flowers and melon are pushed forward. Deep and ample on the palate, with tremendous structure, the 2016 has a lot to offer. Although very much tightly wound today, the Ritchie is one of the most promising wines in the range.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2026

The 2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack is one the more exuberant wines in this range. Orange blossom, honey, wild flowers and apricot are all laced together in this decidedly bold, ample Chardonnay. The Sugar Shack emerges from Aubert’s home ranch in Rutherford, planted with Montrachet clone. The balance of fruit and acids is terrific. Even so, the Sugar Shack will appeal most to readers who appreciate the flamboyant side of California Chardonnay.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2028

The 2016 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is powerful and also razor-sharp. Chalk, crushed rocks, mint and citrus peel give the UV-SL its distinctive energetic, focused feel. The UV-SL shows the distinct influence of elevation at this site perched at 1,200 feet above sea level. While many of the Aubert Chardonnays are overt, the UV-SL is much less forthcoming. Underpinnings of acid and structure add to the wine’s considerable appeal.

2016 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

The 2016 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard is a dense, powerful wine. I would be tempted to cellar the 2016 for at least a few years to allow some of the youthful exuberance to settle. Even so, the CIX is superb. Super-ripe red cherry, kirsch, lavender and mint all fill out in this perfumed, exquisite Pinot. There is an explosive energy to the CIX that is hugely appealing. Moreover, the CIX is the Pinot that brings together all of the best elements of Mark Aubert’s Pinots; aromatics, fruit and textural depth. This parcel is planted with clonal material taken from a top domaine in Burgundy’s Vosne-Romanée.

2016 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2026

Aubert’s 2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is fresh, fragrant and inviting. Sweet red cherry, mint, rose petal and lavender notes are nicely lifted in this attractive, mid-weight Pinot. Silky, sensual and nuanced, the 2016 has a lot to recommend it. A dollop of whole clusters introduces a lovely savory element to the UV.

2016 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2026

A powerful, rich wine endowed with tremendous drive, the Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most overt, flamboyant wine in the range. A rush of black cherry, game, blood orange and spice fills out the wine’s ample frame effortlessly. The UV-SL is the darkest and most obviously ripe of the vineyard designated Pinots. There is plenty of personality, that much is evident.

2009 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2019

The 2009 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is a pretty wine, but the ups and downs of the growing season, and resulting uneven ripeness, comes across in a mid-weight wine that doesn’t feel fully developed. I would prefer to finish any remaining bottles sooner rather than later, as it is hard to see the 2009 developing much more complexity or nuance. My memory of this wine upon release is more favorable than the impression I get from this bottle today.

2008 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

In this mini-vertical, the 2008 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard comes across as a cross between the 2005 and the 2007, with the layered feel and more mid-weight structure of the former, and a tropically-leaning flavor profile that resembles the latter. I don’t get the impression the 2008 is going to be one of Aubert’s more long-lived Chardonnays. For that reason, I would prefer to drink it sooner rather than later. Even so, at nearly ten years of age, the 2008 has developed very nicely. Today, it is super-expressive and a real joy to taste. It is one of my favorite wines in this vertical, second only to the 2005.

2007 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018+

The 2007 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard shows the natural richness of the year in its ample, richly textured personality. Here, the fruit is a bit more forward, with hints of honey, creme brulee and roasted almond that are all indicative of a wine that has reached full maturity. The 2007 might very well stay at its current plateau, but it won’t get better. All things considered, the 2007 has reached this stage of its life gracefully.

2005 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

The 2005 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is just as breathtaking as it has always been. Still wonderfully fresh and nuanced, the 2005 has a level of precision and total finesse that is simply alluring. Lemon confit, apricot, mint and white flowers are all finely sketched, but it is the wine’s overall balance and sense of harmony that are most alluring. Mark Aubert describes 2005 as a cool year with no heat spikes that produced a small crop. The 2005 Lauren remains one of my all-time favorite Mark Aubert wines.

2004 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2028

Hints of dried pear, almond, dried flowers, candied lemon and spice run through the 2004 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard. A wine of striking aromatic nuance and complexity, the 2004 is in a beautiful spot right now. I would prefer to finish any remaining bottles soon, as there is no upside from holding the 2004 further. This is an impressive showing.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate Issue 233

2016 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay CIX Estate is beguiling in its complexity and singularity, offering up scents of smoked nuts, waxed lemons, crushed rocks and coriander seed with hints of crusty bread, honeysuckle, baked peaches and clover honey. Full-bodied, full-on creamy and densely laden with layers of citrus and savory flavors, it has just enough freshness and wonderful length.

2016 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard is scented of lemon tart, baking bread, crushed stones, clover honey and shaved almonds with hints of pure, sliced pears and Golden Delicious apples. Full-bodied, elegant, fine and restrained, the silken palate has a quiet intensity, finishing long with savory layers.

2016 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard has a gorgeous nose of pear tart, aniseed, beeswax and honey toast with touches of salted almonds and a waft of baking bread. Full-bodied, rich and with a totally decadent creaminess to the texture, it features beautiful freshness and balance, finishing on a mineral note.

2016 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95-97 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard has a provocative savory/meaty nose with yeast extract, brine and nut nuances over a core of ripe pears and white peaches plus a waft of lime leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with stone fruit and savory layers, with a lovely oiliness to the texture offset by a racy acid line, finishing long.

2016 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Lauren Estate delivers incredibly intense grapefruit essence, lemon peel and green apple notes with touches of nutmeg, fresh ginger, lightly browned toast, marzipan and smoky meat. The palate is built like a brick house with a solid line of refreshing acid framing the complex citrus and spice layers, finishing long and savory.

2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate is opulent straight out of the gate, with stunning orange peel, candied ginger, nutmeg and ripe apricot with touches of cashews and croissant. The full-bodied palate explodes with expressive bread, nut, spice and stone fruit layers, marked by a lively line of acid that lifts the fruit and gives a long, gregarious finish.

2016 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay UV-SL has a very sexy nose of apple pie and apricot preserves over suggestions of coriander seed, fennel and chalk dust, plus a waft of orange blossoms. The palate simply sings with vibrant stone fruit and citrus peel flavors with a racy backbone cutting through the satiny texture, finishing with loads of lingering spice notes.

2016 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97+ Points

Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard bursts forth with baked cherries, red currant jelly and mulberries with touches of cinnamon stick, violets, baking spices and potpourri. Full-bodied, opulent and wonderfully spicy in the mouth, it has a solid frame of firm and grainy tannins with a seamless acid line and a very long, decadent finish. This wine was bottled in June 2017.

2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

Bottled in June 2017, the 2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard has a medium ruby-purple color and nose of Sichuan pepper, sandalwood, dusty earth and underbrush with a core of black cherries and black raspberries, plus a pretty waft of rose hip tea. Full-bodied, concentrated and with incredible intensity, the generous fruit is well supported by fine-grained tannins, finishing long with mineral nuances.

2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94+ Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard sports a very earthy nose laced with underbrush, damp soil and mossy bark over a black fruit core plus a pretty perfumed undercurrent of sandalwood, aniseed and dried flowers. The full-bodied palate is big, exuberant, rich and firmly structured, with chewy tannins supporting the muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. Give it another year or two in bottle and drink it over the next decade.

2015 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay CIX Estate has the most alluring, singular, beguiling nose so that it cannot fail to impress. Revealing notes of candied ginger, nutmeg, aniseed, apple pie and pear tart, it delivers a full-on bombastic, richly fruited and decadently creamy palate, beautifully contrasted by a seamless line of freshness, finishing multilayered and with epic persistence. Wow.

2015 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 98 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard exudes butterscotch, allspice, baked pears and peach preserves with tantalizing honeycomb, salted caramel and popcorn hints. This rich, full-bodied powerhouse fills the palate with decadent, spicy stone fruit, marked by a refreshing line of acid and finishing with lingering wet pebble and savory hints.

2015 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 98 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is a toasty, nutty, baked peaches and pear tart sex bomb, with an incredible array of nuances on the nose conjuring notions of struck flint, earth, meat, baking bread and allspice. Medium to full-bodied, rich and oh-so-sensuous, it delivers incredible fruit, savory layers and a very long finish.

2015 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard is simply amazing with a level of intensity that is through the roof, strutting notes of lemon oil, candied ginger, pink grapefruit and orange blossom with touches of yuzu and brioche, plus a waft of green tea. Full-bodied, finely constructed, oily and yet with tons of zing, this is simply a blockbuster and a delicious one at that.

2015 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

A touch closed and youthfully shy to begin, the 2015 Chardonnay Lauren Estate soon powers up to reveal intense grapefruit, citrus peel, yuzu and honeyed pear notes over suggestions of crushed stones, struck match, baking bread and lemongrass. The palate is fine, fresh, elegant and incredibly layered, with the tightly wound layers offering glimpses at incredible depth, finishing long and minerally. Consider holding on to this one for another couple of years and drinking it over the next 12+.

2015 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97+ Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard offers up floral notes of jasmine and peach blossom over a core of apricot preserves, honeyed toast, beeswax and lemon butter, plus a waft of crushed stones. The palate is just beautiful, possessing incredible poise and restrained intensity juxtaposed by a rich, creamy texture and finishing with lingering mineral notes.

2015 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate is pure honeyed apricots and beeswax with suggestions of bread, salted almonds, croissant and a touch of aniseed. It is full-bodied, rich, intense, lifted, fresh and really well structured with a solid backbone, finishing long and sleek with some minerals.

2015 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

Giving up zingy lemon zest and grapefruit notes with layer upon layer of chalk dust, marzipan, honeyed brioche and ginger plus a touch of coriander seed, the 2015 Chardonnay UV-SL has a full-bodied powerhouse of a palate that delivers the goods and then some. Perfumed, seductive and drop-dead sexy, this is a real show-stopper of a Chardonnay with intensity and structure to age gracefully over the next 15+ years.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98

Oyster shell and mother of pearl and dried apple. Some lemon undertones. Full body, very dense and powerful. Complex. The finish just melts. Exciting white. Drink now.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 98

Great aromas of stone, gun powder and sliced apple. Wow. Full body, dense and layered. Wonderful phenolic texture. Montrachet-like. Drink in 2020 but already superb.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96

Lots of ginger and sliced apple, pear, and lime skin aromas. Full body, stone and citrusy. Intense energy. Lemon pound cake. Drink or hold.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95

Another dense and layered Hudson chardonnay with plenty of cream and apple character. It’s soft and fresh. Almost thick. Maintains a freshness and energy in the big flavor profile. Drink or hold.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95

This has a fantastic linear and bright acidity with gorgeous cream, cooked apple and pear. Full body, tangy and minerally. Lovely and intense. Drink now or hold.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94

Lots of white pepper, stone and dried apples on the nose. Full body, oily and round with lots of delicious fruit. Juicy character. Drink now.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Sliced apple and lime. White flower undertones. Medium to full body, intense center palate of stone and pomace undertones. Very long and flavorful. Drink now.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97

Precise and beautiful aromas of cooked apple, lemon, biscuit and pie crust. Complex. Full body, layered and rich. Big and exciting but always fresh. Real Napa. So layered. Drink now.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 95

Layered and cool with aniseed, flint and green apple. Full body, intense fruit and a long and flavorful finish. Drink now.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

Stone and mineral aromas with sliced apple and lemon. Flint. White peaches. Full body, bright acidity and a tangy finish. Long and tight. Very long. Energy. Drink in 2019.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Lots of blueberry and blackberry aromas with hints of dried flowers. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a juicy finish. Bright fruit aftertaste. Spice. Smoky. Drink now.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

Blackberry and cherry, spice with hints of flowers on the nose. Full body, chewy yet polished and beautiful. This is a fantastic red with complexity and power. Drink in 2020.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

Dried strawberry and cedar with sandalwood on the nose. White pepper as well. Full body, round and rich yet austere at the finish. Love quality of tannins . Juicy and savory. Excellent intensity. Drink now or hold.

2014 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

Great density and beauty with soy sauce and dark berry character. Full body, tightly wound and a long and flavorful finish. Extremely long and rich. A fantastic wine. Drink now. Why wait?

 

Mark Aubert describes 2015 as a year with tiny clusters that resulted from the cumulative effects of the drought and poor weather during flowering. The freakish weather resulted in a compact harvest that lasted about 3-4 weeks. Because of the natural concentration of the fruit, fermentations were long and protracted. In 2015, there is a marked difference between the Sonoma Chardonnays, where the heat spikes were limited, and those from Napa, where the Chardonnays are a bit blowsier. Sadly, yields are down by as much as 50%.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025

Mark Aubert’s 2015 Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is plush, rich and inviting. Here, the interplay of reductive aromatics and layered textures is compelling. Like the Sugar Shack, the CIX is planted with the Montrachet clone, and yet there is quite a bit more subtlety and nuance here.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2019 – 2025

The 2015 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard preserves good freshness and aromatic lift, especially for the year. In this tasting, the Eastside presents more of a phenolic character than most of the Chardonnays, with the fruit pushed into the background, while floral/savory/mineral notes are front and center. Of all of these Chardonnays, the Eastside shows the effects of its recent bottling most. At the same time, the rocky nature of this site really comes through in the wine’s feel.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2027

A rich, intense wine, the 2015 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard exudes power and intensity, but that is expressed in persistence rather than in textural weight. Smoke, slate, dried pear, mint and dried flowers are some of the hallmarks. This is remarkably precise for such a big wine. A touch of reduction adds complexity without being overly dominant.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025

The 2015 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons is unctuous and ample in the glass. Apricot pit, peach, vanillin and candied lemon peel are beautifully delineated. Sumptuous and layered, the 2015 hits all the right notes. Today, the personality of the year masks some of the personality of Hyde, but the wine is impeccable in its balance just the same.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025

The 2015 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is a classic Aubert Chardonnay built on plush texture and a multidimensional personality of pure class. Dried pear, baked apple, dried flowers, mint and white pepper give the wine its aromatic top notes, but there is plenty of depth underpinning it all.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025

The 2015 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is laced with the essence of lemon confit, slate, white flowers, white pepper and orchard fruit. The flavors are intense and bright, but there is no shortage of richness or intensity. In 2015, the Ritchie seems to capture all of the very best qualities of the year. It’s a magical wine. Don’t miss it.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 93
Drinking Window: 2019 – 2023

The 2015 Chardonnay Sugar Shack, from Mark Aubert’s ranch in Rutherford, is rich, ample and creamy. This is an especially opulent, flamboyant Chardonnay built on serious texture and volume. Crème caramel, tropical fruit, lemon confit and white flowers infuse the huge finish.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025

A wine of impact and power, the 2015 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard captures the pure intensity and concentration of the year. Yields were down by a whopping 40%, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. Petrol, graphite and savory herbs open up with time in the glass, but the 2015 is naturally quite reticent and in need of time in bottle.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2019 – 2025

The 2015 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard is dark, sumptuous and explosive. Plum, mocha, spices and red cherry jam give the wine its racy, voluptuous personality. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s overt, flamboyant personality nicely.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2019 – 2025

The 2015 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is fabulous. Bright and floral, with striking freshness, the UV captures all the intensity that is typical of these Pinots while retaining considerable aromatic lift. Sweet red berry, mint, chalk and spice give the wine its brightness, poise and vivacity. This is the most energetic of the three Aubert vineyard-designate Pinots. Yields are down a whopping 50%.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2025

The 2015 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the darkest and most concentrated of these Pinots. Super-ripe black cherry, plum and lavender are pushed forward. Big, ample and large-scaled in all of its dimensions, the UV-SL will appeal most to readers who appreciate big Pinots. I find a bit more complexity in the UV and CIX, but at this level, it really comes down to personal taste.

 

Robert Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate Issue 227

2015 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Cix Estate is 100% Montrachet clone and shows notes of liquified stones, quince, honeysuckle, caramelized citrus, and hints of tropical fruits such as pineapple and nectarine. This is a beauty of great intensity, richness and length – another remarkable Chardonnay from Aubert.

2015 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Eastside, from a vineyard owned by Ulises Valdez and planted with a suitcase clone from one of the Montrachet holdings in Burgundy, comes across with great ripeness (15.4% natural alcohol) compared to the 15.8% of the UV-SL. With loads of orange skin, buttered citrus, smoked hazelnuts and green apples, fabulous concentration and amazing minerality, this is another compelling Chardonnay from the genius of Mark Aubert that should drink well for a decade or more.

2015 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2015s start with the 2015 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard from Carneros. This is a dead-ringer for a Coche-Dury Meursult-Perrières. Made from an old Wente clone, the wine displays smoky hazelnuts, extraordinary citrus oil, nectarine and honeysuckle, a full-bodied mouthfeel, great acidity and not a trace of oak, which is always amazing in the Aubert Chardonnays, since they are aged for just under 12 months in 100% new French cooperage. This beauty should drink well for at least 10 years or more.

2015 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95-97 Points

His 2015 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons, like many of the 2015s and a consistent characteristic of most of Aubert’s wines, comes from mostly old Wente clones as well, and has a bright gold/greenish hue to its color as well as a big, sweet kiss of caramelized citrus, apple blossom, white peach and a touch of pineapple. It is a beautiful wine, with a full-bodied mouthfeel and a long, zesty finish. Anticipated maturity: now-2026.

2015 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Lauren Estate, from 17-year-old vines of primarily the Old Wente and Mt. Eden clones (but in the famous Goldridge soils that are so vital in the Russian River Valley), was the slowest to ferment, although it offers great acids, loads of nectarine and tangerine, honeysuckle, white currants, and no evidence of the 100% new oak it was aged in. This is another sensational effort, and like most Laurens will probably age for 10-15 or more years.

2015 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Ritchie (from 43-year-old vines) offers loads of tangerine and orange tropical fruit notes along with brioche and citrus oil. Production was tiny on these old vines, exaggerated by the poor flowering. Produced from 100% Old Wente clone, this wine also shows wet gravelly minerality, terrific natural acidity from the super-concentrated, tiny berries, and a long, full-bodied finish. It should drink well for 10-15 years, possibly longer.

2015 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97-99 Points

From his only vineyard in Napa, the 2015 Chardonnay Sugar Shack is a hedonist’s delight. Fragrant, exotic notes of mango, orange marmalade, nectarine and pineapple soar from the glass of this full-bodied, beautifully fruited Chardonnay that shows not a trace of oak, has great acidity, and an almost vibrant energy-driven style that is remarkable. This is always one of my favorite cuvées to taste, and I have been a buyer every year that he’s been producing it. Again, this sees 100% new oak, but you would never know it.

2015 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay UV-SL, which is also an Old Wente clone, and the coldest of all of the Aubert Chardonnay sites, should come close to being a perfect Chardonnay with a few years of age. Plenty of exotic fruits, intense richness, an incredible, fragrant nose of honeysuckle, orange marmalade, caramelized citrus, white peach and a subtle hint of pineapple are all present in this incredibly full-bodied, rich, thick wine buttressed by considerable natural acids. This wine should drink well for at least a dozen or more years.

2015 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

Close to perfection is the 2015 Pinot Noir Cix Estate, which is reminiscent of a great grand cru Burgundy from Northern Côte de Nuit. Forest floor, porcini mushrooms, underbrush and loamy soil notes intermixed with hints of black raspberry, cherry and blueberry are followed by a full-bodied wine with 15% natural alcohol and great intensity, making for a prodigious Pinot Noir that should age gracefully for 10-15 years.

2015 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2015 Pinot Noir UV is stunning, concentrated because of the tiny yields. The wine has a dense ruby color and a gorgeous nose of raspberries, forest floor, underbrush and blacker fruits. It is full-bodied, has good acidity, an ethereal fragrance and a long, long finish. It should drink well for 15 or more years.

2015 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93+ Points

The tightest of the three Pinot Noirs, was the 2015 Pinot Noir UV-SL. This Pinot Noir, made from equal parts Calera and a Vosne-Romanée clone, shows terrific fruit intensity, slightly higher acids and more tannin in a more backward style. It certainly needs time to fully unleash its considerable personality, and in a way, it seemed to suffer in comparison with its two more flamboyant siblings. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2032.

2014 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The virtually perfect 2014 Chardonnay CIX Estate, planted with a Montrachet clone on Goldridge soils, again exhibits amazing intensity, notes of wet gravel interwoven with apple blossom, caramelized citrus, apricot, white peach and honeysuckle. It is full-bodied, multidimensional and a profound glass of Chardonnay.

2014 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Absolutely profound is the 2014 Chardonnay Eastside, from the vineyard owned by well-known viticulturalist and farmer Ulises Valdez and planted with a suitcase Montrachet clone on a low-yielding root stock called Riparia Gloire. Smoky crème brûlée notes intermixed with white peach, nectarine, orange marmalade, honeysuckle and buttered apples all jump from the glass of this great Chardonnay that is Grand cru quality, incredibly pure, dense, and long.

2014 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95 Points

Aubert’s debut with the famous Hudson Vineyard is the 2014 Chardonnay Hudson, which comes across like a premier cru Meursault. This is made from 20-year-old Wente clones and shows smoky hazelnut and almond notes, buttery tropical fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel and a big, forward style. I’m not sure this will be the longest-lived of the Aubert 2014s, but it is certainly the most flamboyant and showy at this stage.

2014 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95 Points

The 2014 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons has a greenish hue to its light-gold color, a fresh, lively nose of poached pears, citrus oil, honeysuckle, a hint of pineapple and tangerine. This is a beautiful, full-bodied Chardonnay to drink over the next decade or more.

2014 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

Flirting with perfection is the 2014 Chardonnay Lauren Estate, from 16-year-old vines, which offers great extract, richness, and plenty of honeysuckle, tropical fruit and citrus oil. The wine, showing its concentration because of the drought year, should easily last 12-15 years.

2014 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The old vines certainly show well in the 2014 Chardonnay Ritchie, with an almost Alsatian-like petrol nose that is starting to come on. This wine that is full-bodied, with incredible ripeness, purity and overall equilibrium, offers up plenty of tropical fruit and citrus, white peach and pineapple. The wine should drink well for at least another decade.

2014 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97 Points

Another stunner is the 2014 Chardonnay Sugar Shack. This wine, which was harvested August 18, 2014, was one of the earliest picks Mark Aubert had ever done. The wine offers up great fruit, which includes notes of pineapple, green apple, honeysuckle and peach marmalade. It is full-bodied with exceptional purity, lingering across the palate. Drink it over the next 7-12 years. This is the only vineyard for Chardonnay that he has in Napa Valley.

2014 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

From a cold site, the 2014 Chardonnay UV-SL is from a dry-farmed vineyard. This seems to have been the most closed wine that I tasted of the 2014s. The wine has loads of citrus oil, real crisp, zesty acids (giving it a more compressed feeling that some of the other wines) and a long finish. Tipping the scales at 15.5% natural alcohol, it doesn’t have a trace of heat, but shows the strength, ripeness and intensity he has achieved. This is a long-distance runner of 10-15 years.

This is a fabulous set of wines from Mark Aubert. The Chardonnays in particular are exceptional. In my view, Aubert’s wines, especially the Chardonnays, have become more refined over last few years, something Mark Aubert attributes to moving into his new winery. As of the 2011 vintage, the team has total control over all aspects of production. Previously, the wines were made in a custom crush facility, which almost always involves compromises and imposes constraints. As was the case throughout the region, Aubert saw low yields in 2014, the third year of the drought cycle, which is one of the reasons the wines are so intense. The Chardonnays were aged in 100% new oak, all of which they have handled effortlessly. All of the Pinots were done with around 10-15% whole clusters, but, here, too, it is the purity of the fruit that comes through above all else. The Chardonnays were bottled in late August/early September, while the Pinots were bottled in July. Stylistically, there also appears to be a widening gap between the Chardonnays and the Pinots, which are excellent, but made in a much more overt, powerful style, with long periods of skin contact and less overall subtlety. Still, those are pretty small critiques at this lofty level.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2016 – 2025

Dense and racy in style, the 2014 Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is one of the more approachable wines in this lineup. Here the Montrachet clone gives a Chardonnay with good up-front intensity and plenty of power. Although attractive, the CIX doesn’t quite have the complexity, nuance or persistence of the best wines in the range.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2025

Aubert’s 2014 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard is one of the most intriguing wines in this range. Initially a touch reduced, the Eastside is slow to get out of the gate. Of all the wines in this range, the Eastside has the lowest pH and highest acidity. Although wine can rarely be reduced to a simple number, those readings partly explain why the Eastside is slow to awaken in the glass. When it does, the wine is striking, with superb aromatic and chiseled fruit, all supported by beams of salinity. Most of Mark Aubert’s 2014 Chardonnays can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring. The Eastside is not one of them. Readers need to be patient here.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2025

The 2014 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is an addition to the range. A wine of depth, creaminess and intensity, the 2014 boasts superb richness and depth. Ginger, orange blossom and candied lemon are some of the signatures, but above all else, the Hudson is a wine of vertical intensity and power. The wine gets better and better with time in the glass. Mark Aubert’s Hudson Chardonnay comes from the parcel that David Ramey used to get, in what is considered the heart of the vineyard.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2026

The 2014 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons opens with strikingly beautiful aromatics. Sensual, layered and polished, the Hyde boasts fabulous purity, nuance and class. Apricot pit, honey, candied lemon, crème brulee, wild flowers, mint and lightly buttered notes meld into the supple, radiant finish. This is a great example of Hyde.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2025

The 2014 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is one of the most brilliant wines in this range. Subtle, nuanced yet also deep, the 2014 blossoms with time in the glass. As good as the Lauren is today, experience has taught me that a few years in bottle can be transformational. This is yet another captivating Chardonnay from Mark Aubert.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2025

The 2014 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is one of the most refined, perfumed wines in the range. White flowers, orchard fruit, petrol and mint are some of the signatures in the 2014 Ritchie. Light on its feet yet wonderfully expressive, the 2014 has it all. This is a very pretty Ritchie Chardonnay that will delight readers lucky enough to find it for a decade or more. Mark Aubert adds that this is the smallest crop he has ever had at Ritchie.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2025

One of the most flamboyant, exotic wines in this range, the 2014 Chardonnay Sugar Shack wraps around the palate with serious depth and raciness. Apricot jam, honey, candied lemon and white flowers meld together. This is an especially seamless, sweet Chardonnay built on silkiness.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2025

The 2014 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is rich, phenolic and intense, with striking interplay of aromas, flavors and textures. Seamless and impeccably layered in the glass, the 2014 speaks to balance and finesse. Today, the UV-SL is creamy, unctuous and absolutely stunning in its beauty. Yields were just one ton per acre at UV-SL, the most coastal of the sites Mark Aubert works with.

2014 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2024

The 2014 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard is a powerful, embryonic wine that needs time to come together. This is a prototypical Mark Aubert Pinot built on intensity and power. The effects of the drought are evident in the wine’s tannin profile, but there is also good freshness to play off the richness of the fruit. CIX is planted with a specific Vosne-Romanée suitcase clone Aubert is especially fond of.

2014 Aubert Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2024

The 2014 Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard is bright, focused and nuanced throughout, with plenty of supporting acidity to balance the intensity of the fruit. Sweet dark cherry, lavender and cloves are all pushed forward. This is an especially linear, energetic Ritchie Pinot with everything in the right place. The Ritchie is also the most structured of these Pinots, although there is plenty of the richness that Mark Aubert coaxes from his vineyard sites.

2014 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 92
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2024

The 2014 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard has a lovely immediacy, but it also comes across as ample and at times a bit heavy. Then again, this site is rich in clay, which tends to confer breadth. Dark red cherry, plum, leather, mint and spices meld into the powerful, resonant finish. This supple, engaging Pinot will drink well pretty much right out of the gate. UV is planted with a mix of Calera and Vosne-Romanée clones.

2014 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2024

The 2014 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most complete of the Pinots. Exquisite, subtle and nuanced, the UV-SL has a level of translucent and crystalline purity that separates it from the other Pinots. Scents of graphite, licorice, cherry jam, lavender and rose petal leave a lasting impression in a wine that deftly balanced aromatic intensity, pliant fruit and structure.

 

Robert Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate Issue 222

2014 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2014 Chardonnay CIX looks killer and may even eclipse the 2013. It is even denser, richer and fuller, with much of the same character, but there’s an even stronger core of fruit, slightly more glycerin, and thrilling aromatics and flavors.

2014 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2014 Chardonnay Eastside may also flirt with perfection. This wine is fashioned in the same style, but incredibly may be even more concentrated, intense and full. It is remarkable what Mark Aubert is doing so brilliantly with his winemaking program, and if readers haven’t beaten a path to his door (or mailing list), it’s about time, as these are some of the most complex and satisfying wines on Planet Earth.

2014 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95-97 Points

A new baby for Mark Aubert in 2014 is the 2014 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard. Made from 20-year-old Wente clones, Aubert says this wine is a throwback to the old Helen Turley Hudson Vineyard Chardonnays from the early 1990s. This wine displays tremendous amounts of tropical fruit, honeysuckle, poached pear and pineapple. Drink it over the next decade.

2014 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95-97 Points

The 2014 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons is a bigger wine, no doubt the alcohol slightly higher, but the acids are present. The wine reveals terrific white peach and honeysuckle notes along with some quince and marmalade. Rich, full, powerful and long, it is a stunner that should drink well for 10-15 years.

2014 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95-98+ Points

The 2014 Chardonnay Lauren Estate is even more concentrated by the drought, has great acidity (one of the characteristics of 2014 Chardonnays at Aubert), huge extract and richness, but also zesty, high acids. This big, bold Chardonnay should easily last 10+ years as well.

2014 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95-97 Points

The 2014 Chardonnay Ritchie (the vines this year were 42 years of age) displays terrific ripeness, plenty of acidity, fabulous density, a multi-dimensional mouthfeel and a full-bodied finish. It should drink well for a decade as well.

2014 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2014 Chardonnay Sugar Shack…was harvested extremely early (on August 18) and has wonderful pineapple, candied Granny Smith apples, honeysuckle and loads of peach marmalade in a full-bodied, dense style, but again with zesty acid. In many ways, these are the most extroverted and exuberant of the Aubert Chardonnays year in and year out.

2014 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-100 Points

The 2014 Chardonnay UV-SL may flirt with perfection when all is said and done. This dry-farmed vineyard, which had tiny yields in 2014 because of the drought, displays great intensity in its notes of lemon oil, wet rocks, honeysuckle, pineapple, and peach and apricot marmalade. Some brioche and caramelized apples also make an appearance in this full-throttle, full-bodied Chardonnay that must be close to 15.5% natural alcohol, although there’s not a trace of heat. Drink it over the next ten years.

2014 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

Made entirely from a clone from the most famous vineyard in Burgundy, the 2014 Cix offers crisp acid, loads of black raspberry, forest floor and blueberry fruit, and tremendous density, richness, and intensity. (It’s interesting to note that these 2014s are all in bottle while the Chardonnays are still in tank awaiting bottling.) This is a wine with great fruit, terrific acids and a long finish. It should evolve for 10 or more years.

2014 Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 92 Points

I tasted the four cuvées of Pinot Noir in 2014. These wines are aged in about 70% new oak, often see some whole clusters, but rarely more than 15-20%, and are given a cold pre-fermentation maceration of 5-7 days. The clonal material varies according to the source. The 2014 Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard, which has 15-20% whole clusters and comes from the Calera clone of Pinot Noir, reveals loads of Asian spice, sassafras, pomegranate, black and red currants, some underbrush and forest floor. It is deep, dense, rich and just gorgeous. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

2014 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94 Points

As for the 2014 Pinot Noir UV, this wine comes two-thirds from the Calera clone of Pinot Noir and the rest from a Vosne-Romanée clone (which we all know, but no one’s saying, probably emanated from the famous Domaine de la Romanée Conti estate). Lots of soft strawberry, sweet cherry and blueberry notes emerge from this wine, giving it a Côte de Nuits-like character. Slightly lighter than the Ritchie, feminine, fragrant, and beautifully round and juicy, this wine should drink well young and last ten or more years.

2014 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2014 Pinot Noir UV-SL is made from both the Vosne-Romanée and Calera clones of Pinot Noir. This is pure Sonoma Coast Pinot, with a sweet nose of root beer, blackcurrants, black cherries, and forest floor. It is the most densely colored of all four Pinot Noirs, and shows the biggest body, structure and richness. I also think it’s the most concentrated. This is an amazing wine and may have been the best 2014 Pinot Noir I tasted on this last trip. It should drink well for 10-15+ years.

2013 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The 2013 Chardonnay CIX Estate, also from a Montrachet clone planted on Goldridge soils, displays plenty of peach, apricot, caramelized apples, citrus blossom and wet stones in a full-bodied, powerful, rich and pure, precise style. This is another beauty from 2013 that should easily age for 10+ years.

2013 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

The 2013 Chardonnay Eastside…displays terrific intensity, plenty of stony minerality, and great precision in its notes of subtle white peach, pineapple, almond paste, brioche and crème brûlée. This is a killer wine and a perfect example of 2013 Chardonnay at its best. I never thought this wine could hit this peak, but the proof is in the tasting, and the wine, which was somewhat shy and reserved after bottling, has truly come to life over the last three to four months. This five-acre vineyard sits on a west-facing hill on Eastside Road in the Russian River. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.

2013 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96 Points

The 2013 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons, like most of Aubert’s Chardonnays, always seems to have a greenish hue to its light straw/gold color. This wine comes from one of the coldest vineyards in the Aubert portfolio. The 2013 does offer some delicate pineapple, damp earth and wet stones as well as a touch of white currants and quince. This beautifully fruited wine is medium to full-bodied, has great acidity, and should continue to drink well for at least another decade.

2013 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98+ Points

The 2013 Chardonnay Lauren Estate is made from 15-year-old vines from the old Wente and Mt. Eden clones of Chardonnay planted in Goldridge soils. This wine offers loads of nectarine, honeysuckle, liquefied rock, quince and white currants. The wine has incredible richness, no real evidence of any of the 100% new oak it is aged in, and a multi-dimensional, long finish. This compelling Chardonnay is still young and capable of lasting 10-15 years.

2013 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

From the oldest vines that Aubert works with, the 2013 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is made from the old Wente clone favored by so many of the top winemakers for Chardonnay. It boasts the wet rocks and candied citrus, the white peach and pineapple notes, has a strong green hue to the light gold color, and a full-bodied, powerful finish. It is a ten-year wine at the minimum.

2013 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 98 Points

One of the sexiest Chardonnays in the entire portfolio seems to emerge from the only Napa vineyard Mark Aubert has, the Sugar Shack Estate in Rutherford. The 2013 Chardonnay Sugar Shack offers caramelized apples, brioche, crème brûlée, honeyed citrus, white currants, some liquefied stones, a touch of clove, and fabulous, full-bodied ripeness. This tips the scales at nearly 15.5% alcohol, so it is no wimp. Made exclusively from the Montrachet clone of Chardonnay, it can be expected to drink well for another ten years.

2013 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97+ Points

The UV-SL Vineyard is another Sonoma Coast vineyard planted with old Wente clones on the classic deep Goldridge sandy soils of the region. The 2013 Chardonnay UV-SL, with loads of nectarine, tangerine oil, mango and caramelized citrus, has a super-core of fruit and tips the scales at 15.8% alcohol. It also offers great structure and a liquid stone minerality. This big, fascinating wine was totally closed when I first tasted it, but is now expressing itself in a dramatic and compelling way. Its should drink well for 10-12+ years.