The Wine Independent – November 2024 – Playing It Cool

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent, November 14th, 2024

The 2023 Chardonnays are already well-defined, bright, and expressive—compellingly complete… Aubert’s 2023 Chardonnays and Pinots will be tough acts to follow.

2023 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97+ Points

The 2023 Chardonnay CIX Estate bursts with bold notes of peaches and apricots, giving way to suggestions of aniseed, pie crust, grapefruit oil, and wet pebbles. The full-bodied palate has a decadently creamy texture with soft acidity framing the opulent stone fruit and spicy flavors, finishing long with a savory lift.

2023 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97+ Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Eastside skips out of the glass with bright, vibrant scents of fresh limes, green apples, and lemon drops, leading to suggestions of struck flint, baker’s yeast, and orange blossom. The medium to full-bodied palate is bright and intense with zesty flavors and a satiny texture, finishing long and savory.

2023 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 100 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons rockets from the glass with super-intense notes of lime blossoms, fresh yellow apples, orange peel, and chalk dust, plus hints of struck flint and grapefruit oil. The medium-bodied palate shimmers with citrus and stone fruit flavors, supported by fantastic tension and a satiny texture, finishing long and zesty. If served to me blind, I might mistake it for a Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne.

2023 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

The 2023 Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay prances out with showy notes of white peaches, beeswax, juicy pears, and allspice, plus hints of wet pebbles and coriander seed. The medium to full-bodied palate is satiny and savory, delivering lots of orchard fruit layers and a long mineral-laced finish.

2023 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Lauren Estate needs a lot of swirling to bring out evocative scents of Bosc pears, honeydew melon, marzipan, and honeycomb, plus hints of chalk dust and lime blossoms. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers intense, profound orchard fruit and savory layers, supported by beautifully knit acidity and a silken texture, finishing long with a spicy kick.

2023 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Park Avenue charges out with vibrant notes of lemon tart, lime cordial, and nectarines, followed by touches of struck flint, brioche, honeysuckle, and chalk dust. The medium to full-bodied palate vibrates with energetic citrus and stone fruit flavors, supported by a racy line and a satiny texture, finishing long and satisfyingly savory. Gorgeous.

2023 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Powder House waltzes out with flamboyant notes of jasmine tea, lemongrass, and fresh ginger, opening out to a core of apricots, spiced apples, and persimmons. The medium to full-bodied palate is very elegant and savory with soft-spoken spice and orchard fruit flavors and just enough tension, finishing on a persistent gingery note.

2023 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 98 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Sugar Shack needs a little shaking and coaxing to bring out delicate notes of Golden Delicious apples, lemon curd, lime jelly, and candle wax, plus nuances of baking bread and chopped almonds. The medium to full-bodied palate is creamy textured with soft acidity and bags of apple and citrus-inspired flavors, finishing with a zesty lift.

2023 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay UV-SL has vibrant notes of pink grapefruit, fresh pineapple, and peaches, giving way to nuances of Marcona almonds, wet slate, and white pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate is compellingly silky with wonderful freshness, filling the mouth with layers of citrus, tropical, and orchard fruit flavors, finishing with epic length and depth. Stunning!

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2023 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2023 Pinot Noir CIX Estate needs a little swirling to bring out lifted notes of crushed blackberries, fresh strawberries, and red cherries, plus hints of dried Provence herbs, hoisin, and wet slate. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly wound with black and red berry layers, supported by very finely grained tannins and a refreshing line, finishing long and chalky.

2023 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Deep ruby-purple in color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate comes bounding out with exuberant notes of juicy raspberries, red currant jelly, and blood orange, followed by hints of graphite, tilled soil, and iron ore with a touch of lavender oil. The medium to full-bodied palate is so elegant and refined, with a lively line and super-silky tannins, finishing long and minerally.

2023 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2023 Pinot Noir UV is medium ruby-purple in color. A gorgeous perfume of fresh raspberries, wild strawberries, and lavender wafts from the glass, followed by hints of wet slate, forest floor, and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate has amazing tension and fine-grained tannins that frame the vibrant red berry and floral layers, finishing long and fragrant.

2023 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Deep ruby-purple colored, the 2023 Pinot Noir UV-SL shimmies out of the glass with gregarious notes of pomegranate, black cherries, black raspberries, and wild fungi, followed by hints of orange peel, forest floor, and wild thyme. The medium to full-bodied palate is super-intense and tightly knit, with a racy backbone defining the red berry and earthy layers, finishing with incredible length.