Chateau St Jean Robert Young Vineyard Chardonnay, Alexander Valley, USA

圣吉安羅伯特活力園霞多麗干白葡萄酒

點擊次數：5985

Aged in 12% new French oak for 14 months, the 2016 Chardonnay Robert Young Vineyard features ripe Golden Delicious apples, fresh apricots and honeydew melon with nuances of fresh ginger and almond croissant. Medium-bodied with a lovely satiny texture, it has a lovely toastiness in the mouth and a long, refreshing finish. 380 cases produced.

The 2015 Chardonnay Robert Young Vineyard has a clean stone fruit and ripe citrus fruit nose with hints of toasted almonds and fresh hay. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers a pleasantly oily texture and lovely ripe fruit flavors supported by refreshing acidity and finishing on a savory note.

A real beauty is the 2014 Chardonnay Robert Young Vineyard, a non-malolactic Chardonnay that sees a little oak and comes across like a premier cru Chablis. It is elegant, with notes of honeysuckle, white peach and citrus blossom. Fresh, medium-bodied, pure and tasty, it should be drunk over the next several years.

Chateau St. Jean has always made a bevy of Chardonnays and they are also realistically priced. Perhaps the most famous wine is the 2013 Chardonnay Robert Young Vineyard, which is a 5,000-case cuvée from the Robert Young clone of Chardonnay. There is 100% barrel fermentation, but it is never put through malolactic, hence the great acidity. This honeyed style of Chardonnay offers up notes of lemon oil, white stones, tangerine and subtle baking spices. It is rich and full-bodied, with admirable fruit and terrific acidity. It should age nicely for 5-6 years and is a heck of a value.

The 2011 Chardonnay Robert Young Vineyard is a non-malolactic effort exhibiting buttery hazelnut, white peach and smoky notes, medium body, attractive fruit and good richness. While not as stunning as it can be in great years, it is a very good wine to enjoy over the next 2-4 years. Chateau St. Jean offers some fabulous values in their portfolio, particularly for readers interested in Sauvignon Blanc (which they call Fume Blanc), one of California’s finest Pinot Blancs and their generic Sonoma Chardonnay, which is an absolute steal at $15. There’s also a new entry of Sonoma Coast Chardonnay that’s slightly more expensive. I tasted six Chardonnays from Chateau St. Jean, and, surprisingly, the least expensive cuvees fared better than the higher priced offerings, although none of them are expensive. The red wines, especially those from the 2011 vintage, are somewhat hit or miss, although none miss by too much. Tel. (707) 833-4134