The 2011 Chardonnay Zio Tony Ranch, a Russian River cuvee from the Green Valley, is crisp, elegant and more Chablis-like in style with good, zesty acidity and lots of lemon rind and citrus juice. Drink this beauty over the next 4-5 years. It seems to have absorbed any evidence of new oak.
Patz and Hall has a long and enviable track record, making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from some of the very finest single vineyards in Northern California. They rarely miss a beat, and the wines are “sure bets” regardless of vintage conditions. The current group of 2011s and early-released 2012s once again prove the consistency of these wines, which cut a very attractive synthesis in style between the more austere Burgundian model and the riper, more fruit-laden California style. As one can see, these are consistently well-made wines from Patz and Hall that merit significant attention from all serious wine consumers. The Pinot Noirs from Patz and Hall tend to be cold-soaked prior to fermentation for 3-4 days, and depending on the vintage, the grapes are usually uncrushed whole clusters with normally around 10-20% stems utilized.
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