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.

I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted at Aubert this year. Mark Aubert told me the conversions from sugar to alcohol were a bit lower than normal, which means the 2013s are in the low 15%s in alcohol. I found remarkable energy, focus and site specificity in both the Chardonnays and Pinots. Aubert bottled the Chardonnays in December and the Pinots in July, which is early but he wanted to preserve freshness. I should add that the wines are not fined or filtered. At times, the Chardonnays can be a bit cloudy, but the 2013 are quite clear. As I left, I couldn’t help wonder if 2013 might usher in an era of slightly less bombastic wines here. The 2005 I tasted suggest these Chardonnays age just fine, but the 2013s, well, they have a level of nuance and finesse I have never seen in an entire range here previously.

2013 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2027

The 2013 Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is another reticent wine, but there is plenty of depth, volume and raciness. With time in the glass, deeper, soil-inflected notes, graphite, chamomile and honey open up, adding considerable complexity and nuance. Bright, saline notes punctuate the finish. The CIX starts off slow, but then really accelerates with air.

2013 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 95+
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2027

The 2013 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard is one of the most tightly wound wines in this range. White pepper, crushed rocks, smoke, mint and lemon peel gradually open up, but only with great reluctance. Today, it is the wine’s energy and tension that stand out above all else. A vivid, mineral-drenched finish rounds things out in style

2013 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2015 – 2021

The 2013 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons is gorgeous. Lemon curd, white flowers, white pepper and mint lift from the glass. Effortless, gracious and lifted in the glass, the 2013 impresses for its brightness and tension, but there is plenty of the trademark Aubert richness in the glass. The Hyde finishes with notable energy and subtlety.

2013 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2027

Apricot pit, peach, wild flowers and honey meld together in Aubert’s 2013 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard. The soft contours are shaped by 100% new French oak, all of which is already fully integrated. Sweet, voluptuous and layered, the Lauren captures the essence of Mark Aubert’s style. Even with all of its obvious opulence and texture, the Lauren needs time in bottle. I also tasted the 2003 and 2005 on this visit, two wines that are peaking right now.

2005 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2015 – 2020

Aubert 2005 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard opens with the most striking bouquet imaginable. Orange peel, almonds, smoke, orange peel and crushed rocks are some of the many notes that come alive in a fresh, vibrant Chardonnay that still has at least a few years of superb drinking ahead of it. Crystalline and beautifully nuanced, the 2005 Lauren is superb today. Layers of flavor build to the explosive finish.

2003 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2015 – 2017

Expressive tropical notes, hazelnuts, honey, butter and orange blossoms meld together in the 2003 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard. Layered and nuanced to the core, the 2003 has aged very well. It is perhaps just a touch less exciting than the 2005 tasted alongside it, but not by much. The 2003 is peaking, so I wouldn’t push my luck too much further, although I seriously doubt there are too many bottles of this sublime Chardonnay resting in cellars at this stage.

2013 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2027

The 2013 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is translucent and weightless, yet also magnificent in its depth. Graphite, slate, smoke, incense, lemon and white peach emerge from the glass, but only with great reluctance. The Ritchie is the most reticent wine in this range, but it is in many ways the most intriguing. Intensely mineral and nuanced, the 2013 Ritchie will thrill those lucky enough to own it for another decade-plus. I can’t wait to see how this develops in bottle. The 2013 was done in 100% new oak, yet there is virtually no trace of oak at all.

2005 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2015 – 2017

It’s interesting to taste the 2005 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard next to the Lauren. Here the flavors are quite a bit more mineral-driven, with plenty of graphite and crushed notes. Hints of orange peel and white truffles add the final layers of nuance. The 2005 Ritchie is a bit more forward than the Lauren, and has also aged with a bit less overall finesse, but that is a pretty small critique at this level.

2003 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2015 – 2018

Once again, the 2003 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is imbued with the essence of salinity and minerality. The fruit is now a bit faded, with more honeyed notes that dominate, but there is plenty to admire. Orange peel, flowers and savory herbs open up nicely in the glass. The Ritchie is a bit brighter than the 2003 Lauren tasted alongside it, although it is a bit less suave on the palate. Still, there is no question the 2003 has developed beautifully in bottle

2013 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2027

Rich, round and creamy, the 2013 Chardonnay Sugar Shack is all about texture. The Sugar Shack emerges from a parcel in Rutherford next to Aubert’s home. Lemon curd, mint, wild flowers, apricot pit, Chamomile and lightly honeyed notes flesh out on the super-expressive, nuanced finish. This is one of the more complete wines in a lineup of impressive Chardonnays. The Montrachet clone works wonders on this site, which sits adjacent to Dana.

2013 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2017 – 2027

Dried pear, apricot pit, spices and crushed rocks blossom in the 2013 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard. Here the flavors are vivid, nuanced and resonant to the core. Brighter, saline-infused notes emerge as the wine opens up in the glass. This is another striking Chardonnay endowed with magnificent balance of generous fruit and explosive energy. Readers can look forward to a decade-plus of exceptional drinking.

2013 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95+
Drinking Window: 2016 – 2028

One of the darker wines in the range, the 2013 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard races across the palate in a compelling mélange of dark red and purplish stone fruits, graphite, wild cherries, new leather and smoke. The combination of Calera and Vosne-Romanée clones is magic here, as the CIX presents a super-intriguing interplay of intense fruit and structure influenced by this cool site in Forestville.

2013 Aubert Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2016 – 2028

The pedigree of site comes through loud and clear in Aubert’s 2013 Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard, a wine that stands out for its combination of intense fruit and pulsating acidity. Lavender, plums, mint, pine and wild flowers blossom in a dark, extroverted wine that captures the personality of the Calera clone. The 2013 retains striking freshness for such a big wine. I imagine it will be fascinating to follow for the next decade or so, perhaps longer.

2013 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2016 – 2028

The 2013 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is a wine of immediacy in that it shows most of what it has to offer right away. Layers of intense fruit seem to cut through a wall of tannin as this dark, virile Pinot shows off its considerable personality. Dark red cherries, plums, violets and lavender are some of the notes that wrap around the powerful, enveloping finish. These red, clay-rich soils yield Pinot Noirs with distinct exuberance.

2013 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2016 – 2028

The 2013 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most opulent and extroverted of these Pinots, but it is also the most compelling. Endowed with huge fruit, and an explosive mid-palate, the UV-SL captures the very best of this style of Pinot. Layers of dark, inky fruit built to a crescendo of intensity and juiciness. Hints of lavender, spices and violets wrap around the finish, with plenty of support from beams of underlying tannin.

2013 Aubert Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Appellation
Score: 93
Drinking Window: 2015 – 2025

The 2013 Pinot Noir is fabulous. Pliant, supple and expressive, the Sonoma Coast is a window into this collection of superb Pinots. Dark red cherries, white flowers, mint and spices are some of the notes that caress the palate in this perfumed, exquisite Pinot Noir from Mark Aubert. At many estates, the Sonoma Coast would be the top of the line; here it is the entry-level bottling.

Robert Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate Issue 216

2013 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-100 Points

The potentially perfect 2013 Chardonnay CIX Estate comes from a vineyard planted with the Montrachet clone of Chardonnay. It is already showing incredible minerality along with notes of white peach, pineapple, oily citrus, apple blossom and lemon oil. This multidimensional, full-bodied, sensational Chardonnay should drink well for 10+ years.

2013 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2013 Chardonnay Eastside comes from a vineyard owned by Ulises Valdez and planted with the Montrachet clone. It is the rockiest site in the Aubert portfolio. Amazingly, it sees 100% new oak, but you would never know that from smelling or tasting the wine. Copious aromas of wet rocks, almond paste, honeysuckle, pineapple and white peach are followed by a full-bodied, stunningly rich yet crisp, vibrant, zesty Chardonnay that should drink well for a minimum of 10 years.

2013 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 92-96 Points

The 2013 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons reveals a greenish hue to its gold color as well as crisp acidity, hints of orange blossom, white peach, white currants and mangoes. This fresh, beautifully fruited, medium to full-bodied, rich wine should drink well for 10-12 years.

2013 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

Named after Mark Aubert’s daughter, the 2013 Chardonnay Lauren Estate is made from Old Wente clones as well as the Mt. Eden clone planted in Goldridge soils. This stony, mineral-laced, crisp yet full-bodied effort comes across as a California version of a Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne. Citrus oil, tangerine skin, orange blossom, liquified rock, white flower and quince notes along with great fruit, a full-bodied, stunning texture, and a long finish with no noticeable oak suggest this prodigious Chardonnay will drink well for 10+ years.
At the end of our tasting, Mark Aubert conducted a mini-vertical of the Lauren Estate Chardonnay starting with the 2009 and going back to 2003. At 11 years old, I rated the 2003 96 points, and it remains a lively, exuberant, fresh, stunning wine. All of them were fabulous, with my favorite being the 2007, which I rated 99 points.

2013 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-98 Points

From Aubert’s oldest vines, the 2013 Chardonnay Ritchie is made from the 40-year-old Chardonnay clone called Old Wente. Candied citrus, wet rocks, Granny Smith apples, white peach and honeysuckle notes are found in this full-bodied, prodigious Chardonnay with crisp acidity buttressing the viscous, full-throttle style. All of these 2013s have at least a decade of aging potential.

2013 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 95-97 Points

The only Napa Valley offering is the 2013 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate. A compelling effort, possibly the most powerful of these 2013 Chardonnays at nearly 15.5% alcohol, it comes from a vineyard planted with the Montrachet clone of Chardonnay that was sourced from David Abreu. This vineyard is next to the Dana Estate in Rutherford. Its gold/green color is accompanied by a stunning nose of liquified pebbles, tangerine oil, delicate pineapple, quince and hints of honeysuckle as well as subtle background oak. Full-bodied with terrific minerality as well as a superb, fresh, long finish, it should drink well for 10 years.

2013 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 92-94 Points

The 2013 Chardonnay UV-SL is made from two selections of Old Wente Chardonnay clones planted in classic Goldridge sandy soils. It exhibits the same greenish hue as its siblings, but is slightly more restrained and subdued. Notes of white currants, quince, poached pears, wet rocks and loamy soil nuances emerge from this terroir-driven Chardonnay.

2013 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95+ Points

Made from suitcase clones brought back from Vosne-Romanée and planted in Goldridge soils, the 2013 Pinot Noir Cix Estate displays lots of black raspberry, black cherry, licorice, Asian soy, and spice box notes as well as an intriguing tangerine-like character. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acids, this Pinot Noir should drink well for 10-15 years.

2013 Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94 Points

The full-bodied, dense ruby-hued 2013 Pinot Noir Ritchie, which comes from the Calera clone of Pinot Noir, reveals plenty of beet root, forest floor, Asian hoisin sauce, plum, blackcurrant and cherry notes, as well as terrific fruit and richness. Drink 2016-2028.

2013 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The rich, prodigious, full-bodied 2013 Pinot Noir UV, made from the Calera and Vosne-Romanée clones, is a denser, richer wine offering abundant notes of blueberries, blackberries, forest floor and strong hints of Asian hoisin sauce, dark fruits and forest floor. There is not a trace of new oak in this wine, which spent 10 months in 100% new barrels. Like all the 2013 Pinot Noirs, it has a decade or more of aging potential.

2013 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94+ Points

The 2013 Pinot Noir UV-SL, primarily made from Calera and Vosne-Romanée clonal material, boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of blackcurrants, black cherries, forest floor and beet root. The complex aromatics are followed by a full-bodied, intensely concentrated, pure, seamlessly constructed red that should drink well for 10-15+ years.

2012 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

2012 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

2012 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96 Points

2012 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98+ Points

2012 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

2012 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Napa Valley
Score: 99 Points

2012 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

Issue: Jun 15, 2014

2012 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 95
Designation: Highly Recommended

Delicious from start to lingering finish, this is rich, broad and exotic, with tiers of complexity built around smoke, fig, apricot, citrus peel and bubble gum flavors. Features a silky smooth texture and just the right amount of tannins. Drink now. 825 cases made. –JL

 

Issue: Jul 31, 2014

2012 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93

Subtle, with understated smoke, apricot, poached pear and honeysuckle notes. This is full-bodied, elegant and graceful, gliding along on the finish, where the flavors echo ripe fruit and toasty oak. Drink now through 2020. 475 cases made. –JL

2012 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros 
Score: 92

This unfolds slowly, with a beam of lemon-lime citrus, green apple and honeysuckle flavors, and should reward short-term cellaring, showing hints of vanilla and cream on the finish. The greenest of the Auberts. Drink now through 2020. 875 cases made. –JL

2012 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Rich and graceful, with layers of anise, fig, apricot, pear and honeydew. This picks up a touch of smoke and hazelnut, ending with a long, sustained finish that reverberates with flavor. Drink now through 2021. 875 cases made. –JL

2012 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast 
Score: 94

Pure, rich and lively, with peach, nectarine, smoke and honeydew notes giving this a wealth of core flavors. The aromatics and graceful mix of balance, texture and subtlety give this extra dimensions. Drink now through 2020. 900 cases made. –JL

2012 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley 
Score: 94

Offers rich, deep, persistent flavors built around ripe apple, fig, honeysuckle and smoky oak notes that fill in the gaps on the finish. A new offering from Aubert. Drink now through 2021. 385 cases made. –JL

2012 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93

Deep, rich and persistent, with tiers of elegant apricot, fig, pear, nectarine, honeydew and spicy oak. Finishes with a full-blown yet delightfully graceful finish. Drink now through 2020. 825 cases made. –JL

Mark Aubert is pretty emphatic in stating that 2012 is the greatest vintage he has seen in his 29 years of making wine. Good amounts of rain during the first part of the year put the vines in the conditions to set a healthy crop with no stress. The 2012 Chardonnays saw native fermentations that Aubert described as smooth. The wines were aged for about a year in barrel with no racking, followed by a brief period of about three months in tank prior to being bottled in December 2013. Extended macerations were the rule with the Pinot Noirs, which were aged about 14 months in barrel and also bottled in December 2013. As always, Mark Aubert aims for textural richness with his Chardonnays and Pinots, which tend to tip the scales in the 15.5% alcohol range. New oak levels are on the high side, but the wines rarely seem oaky, they are just incredibly textured. At their finest, the Aubert wines are super-intense, but not heavy. In order to show at their best, though, when young the Aubert wines need at least a few hours of air. These bottles were opened for 6-8 hours in advance, but even that wasn’t enough for some of the wines, which needed time in the glass to fully come together. In particular, I find the best Chardonnays compelling.

2012 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95+
Drinking Window: 2014 – 2022

The 2012 Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is one of the more focused wines in this range. There is plenty of Aubert richness in the glass, but the style is a bit more structured and broader on the palate, with a phenolic sense reminiscent of a red wine. I would prefer to give the 2012 another year or two in bottle to settle down. Today, the minerality is intense and imposing. CIX sits next to the vineyard that informs Aubert’s Lauren Chardonnay.

2012 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2014 – 2022

Smoke, slate, yellow orchard fruit, honey and apricot notes flesh out in the 2012 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard, another of Mark Aubert’s sites planted with the Montrachet clone. The heavy presence of rocks in this vineyard gives the wines a sense of energy that balances the overtness of the fruit. Even with all of the richness, there is plenty of detail and nuance in the glass.

2012 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2014 – 2022

The 2012 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons is wonderfully textured in the glass. Vivid and layered, the 2012 flows across the palate with hints of Chamomile, lemon curd, mint, wild flowers and a hint of honey. The 2012 was aged in 70% new French oak barrels, all of which it handles with grace. The finish is long and exceptionally polished.

2012 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2014 – 2022

Almonds, hazelnuts, pastry and green orchard fruit meld together in Aubert’s 2012 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard. One of the more textured, layered wines, the 2012 impresses for its balance and overall sense of harmony. A racy, perfumed finish rounds things out.

2012 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2014 – 2022

The 2012 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is a wine of pure texture. Lemon, white flowers, dried pears, mint and spices meld together in the glass. Absolutely nothing is out of place here. The flavors are vivid, intense and layered. Readers may notice a slightly cloudy color in the 2012, which is the result of one tank that had an especially late malolactic fermentation. I tasted these wines right after bottling, and it is entirely possible over time the color will settle a bit. The wines are never fined or filtered here, so from time to time the color can be cloudy, as consumers who have bought these wines in the past know. In any event, the 2012 Ritchie is gorgeous.

2012 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 93+
Drinking Window: 2014 – 2022

One of the more explosive wines in the range, the 2012 Chardonnay Sugar Shack hits the palate with tons of depth and pure body. Readers who can put the wine aside for a few years should do so, as today the structure and intensity of the fruit are both incredibly intense. The style is rich, tropical, honeyed and voluptuous to the core. Sugar Shack emerges from a site in Rutherford, just outside St. Helena, planted by David Abreu with a Montrachet clone. This is the same wine that was labeled as Napa Valley in 2011. The vines are now seven years old. There is every reason to think the best lies ahead.

2012 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2014 – 2022

Aubert’s 2012 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard, from a site owned by vineyard guru Ulises Valdez, is superb. Apricot, honey, mint, nectarine, butter and white truffles flesh out in the glass. The flavors are remarkably vivid and nuanced, with tons of richness and intensity, but no sense of heaviness. Here, too, the oak is 100% new. Bright veins of underlying salinity and minerality become more prominent over time, adding to the wine’s energy and vivid personality. Aubert fans will want to jump all over the UV-SL.

2012 Aubert Chardonnay Carneros Appellation
Score: 89
Drinking Window: 2014 – 2018

Lemon, pear, white flowers, spices and almonds meld together in the 2012 Chardonnay Carneros. Soft, textured and inviting, the 2012 is open for business today. This is a fairly lifted, floral style for Aubert. In 2012 the Carneros emerges from a new, young-vine block within the Hyde vineyard planted with the Wente clone, but the flavor profile is a little brighter and more citrus-driven than is typically the case in most Wente Chardonnays.

2012 Aubert Chardonnay Sonoma Coast Appellation
Score: 91
Drinking Window: 2014 – 2018

The 2012 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is wonderfully saline and tense on the palate. Green apple, pear, slate, crushed rocks, mint and white flowers are all pointed and articulate in the glass. These vines are just four years old, so there is a lot to look forward to.

2012 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93+
Drinking Window: 2015 – 2022

Aubert’s 2012 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard comes across as subtle and understated in this context. A wine of silkiness and texture, the 2012 is laced with expressive dark red fruit and gorgeous inner sweetness. The flavors are dark, racy and impeccably balanced. This parcel is planted with a Vosne-Romanee suitcase clone, which seems to give the wine a lot of distinctive aromatics.

2012 Aubert Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 92+
Drinking Window: 2015 – 2020

The 2012 Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard jumps from the glass with sweet red cherries, rose petals, mint, licorice and spices. This is one of the more floral, lifted wines in the range, but there is plenty of underlying structure. Today the tannins are imposing and a bit tight. Then again, the wine was just bottled a few weeks ago.

2012 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2015 – 2022

A classic expression of the Russian River emerges from the 2012 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard. Sweet black cherries, hard candy, cloves, mint and spices meld together in a rich, sumptuous Pinot endowed with plenty of distinction. The flavors are dark, bold and juicy to the core. The 2012 will appeal most to readers who enjoy the exuberance of Russian River Pinots.

2012 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2015 – 2022

The 2012 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most complete of these Pinots. It is also by far the most intense. Dark red cherry, plum, spice and menthol notes all take shape in the glass. The style is broad, ample and super-ripe. Amazingly, with time in the glass, the wine comes together very nicely, but it really does need a lot of time. A juicy, boisterous finish rounds things out. The UV-SL is the Pinot that most clearly defines Mark Aubert’s deeply personal approach to Pinot Noir.

Robert Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate Issue 210

2012 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

A wine that stood out for its complexity and intensity was the 2012 Chardonnay CIX Estate. Planted with a clone originating in Montrachet, this vineyard is situated next to the vineyard from which Mark Aubert makes the Lauren Chardonnay. There are only 600 cases of this prodigious wine. The vines were planted in 2007, so this is only the fifth leaf, but wow, what a Chardonnay. Copious notes of pineapple, mango and guava along with wet stone, caramelized citrus, tangerine and orange marmalade characteristics are followed by a wine with full-bodied mouthfeel as well as remarkable purity, texture and intensity. One of the most individualistic and greatest Chardonnays I have ever tasted, this amazing wine should drink well for 7-10 years. Anticipated maturity is 2013-2023.

2012 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99-100 Points

The 2012 Chardonnay Eastside, a vineyard owned by top viticulturist Ulises Valdez, is a 1,000-case cuvee that reveals a liquefied wet stone character intermixed with notes of white currants, quince, honeysuckle, pineapple and peach marmalade. Strong minerality as well as a remarkable finish makes this a candidate for perfection. It should drink well for 6-10 years as well. Anticipated maturity is 2013-2023.

2012 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2012 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons (1,000 cases) comes from a 4-acre vineyard that produces nearly 1,000 cases. The straw color reveals a greenish hue, and the wine bursts from the glass with notes of exotic fruits, wet stones, limes and white peaches. It has a kinship to a great Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne. Complex and full-bodied with stunning purity, richness and acidity, this killer Chardonnay should drink well for 6-10 years. Anticipated maturity is 2013-2023.

2012 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

We finished the Chardonnay portion of the tasting with Mark Aubert’s favorite wine, the 2012 Chardonnay Lauren Estate, which comes from rich Goldridge soils. There are 1,000 cases of this straw/greenish-colored beauty fashioned from various clones, including the Old Wente, Hyde, Hudson, Corton-Charlemagne selection and the Mt. Eden clones. It possesses more of a tannic backbone than its siblings because of its grip. Full-bodied with lots of honeyed citrus, orange marmalade and abundant fruit on the attack and mid-palate, this youthful Chardonnay seems barely touched by its oak aging. All of these 2012s will be irresistible when released in 2014, but should age beautifully for 6-10+ years. Anticipated maturity is 2013-2023.

2012 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95-98 Points

Mark Aubert farms 39-year-old vines in the famous Ritchie Vineyard. At 1,200 cases, the 2012 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is the largest production cuvee of these Chardonnays. It reveals a more evolved nose of smoky hazelnuts, honeysuckle, and tropical fruits, less minerality, and full-bodied unctuosity buttressed by crisp acids. It is a fatter, richer, complex, more California-styled Chardonnay that should drink well for 6-8 years. Anticipated maturity is 2013-2021.

2012 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Napa Valley
Score: 99-100 Points

From a 4-acre Rutherford vineyard planted with the Montrachet clone, the prodigious 2012 chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate (400 cases) exhibits notes of liquid stones, tangerine oil, peach blossom and a hint of pineapples with staggering minerality. Full-bodied with sensational purity, texture and richness, it was hard to spit this one out. It will age effortlessly for 10+ years. Anticipated maturity is 2013-2023.

2012 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95-97 Points

A tour de force in Chardonnay, the 2012 Chardonnay UV-SL was made from an Old Wente clone of Chardonnay. It exhibits copious aromas of mango, pineapple and subtle background wood, a voluptuous texture, beautiful acidity and terrific length and personality. As the wine sits in the glass a structured feel comes forth along with a notion of pears. It should offer delicious drinking over the next decade. Anticipated maturity is 2013-2023.