Aubert

Any aubert afficionados feel like running down the different releases for me? I had a chance to pick up a couple bottles each of most of the chards for our restaurant and while no one’s asked yet, I’m curious how I’d try to explain the differences between them. I bought a six pack of UV-SL for myself and went through them embarassingly fast, and I’ve had a glass of the Lauren Vyd which I loved, but I’ve never tried the cix, powder house, larry hyde, or basic sonoma coast bottlings. I couldn’t find a similar thread even though it seems like it’d be on here somewhere.

Thanks!

If you want a description of the vineyards and their physical location or characteristics you can see this at the Aubert website. But are you asking for tasting impressions? I thought some tasting notes did pop up from time to time on this board.

Or check notes on CellarTracker.com

Search the forum. There was a thread about the chards early last year.

Lauren - I find it smoother with a creamy mouth feel without using creamy as a pejorative. If you like sex-based descriptors, it’s the sexy female version.

Ritchie - I generally find Ritchie to be more spicy with tart apple fruit.

UV-SL - More apparent acidity and laser focused clarity.

But what do I know?

My mother liked Lauren into her 90s.

Thanks Jayhawk! Was typing this when you replied.

Hmm. I’ve seen a lot of posts about the wines generally but not as much in generalizations about what to expect from, say, a Lauren vs a CIX year to year. These are from the website, for example:

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94

Rich acidity supports the focused flavors of Fuji apple, Asian pear and citrus that are vibrant and well-focused. Accents of dried sage midpalate lead to a mineral-infused finish that shows buttery hints.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Powerful and refined, this glides across the palate with concentrated dried apple and pear flavors that show hints of citrus, backed by fresh acidity and almost tannic nuances. The finish unfurls with creamy lushness, minerality and rich, toasty accents.

Aside from saying the CIX has tannic nuances, all I take from this kind of set of tasting notes to compare these two wines are the different fruit conditions of the orchard fruit spectrum and hints that one may have more malo influence than the other. Does the CIX get skin contact time to give it that tannic nuance? Are the dried fruits described in the CIX review saying its generally a warmer vineyard and release than the other? Looking for something more like that I suppose.

If you were going to buy just one vineyard bottling at a wine shop or restaurant, which would you choose and what would make you pick it over another?

the “kansas” in my phone autocorrected to jayhawk, heh.

So I totally understand the appeal of their chardonnays, I find them stunning. But I just don’t get the appeal of their reds. They in no way taste like Pinot. Syrah? Sure. I sold all my red allocation last year. Then I see they get the #2 WOTY from WS??? Laughable to me…but different strokes I guess.

2 Likes

Did you taste the 2018 UV Vineyard Pinot? I have a couple, but haven’t tasted it.

Are the reds pretty comparable to other massive high alcohol cali pinots or is there anything special to them? Accidentally had 2 of the basic PN’s show up cuz I ordered “the whole line” without specifying.

All Auberts are good Lauren is my fav,Eastside is my daughter’s fav,Sugar Shack is great.
You can’t go wrong with any of them ! flirtysmile

1 Like

To show myself for the fraud I really am. I tend to drink them one at a time and not compare. My OCD self fails on their line. I simply stop reading after I see “Aubert” on the bottle!

3 Likes

A friend has the biggest collection of Aubert chardonnay I’ve ever seen. He swears they need 7-8 years to enter there drinking window. I’ve had many with him and can’t argue

How many you’ve drunk is a better measure than how many you have. BTW - my comments above are on the Chards, not the pinots.

2 Likes

100% agree. The chards are spoofy and not typically the style I drink but Mark Aubert makes them balanced and delicious. I love em. The pinots I don’t get. Too much for me and don’t taste like Pinots.

We drink one almost every Friday night unless we drink a Peter Michael chardonnay. He’s got just as many of those. He’s been on both lists a very long time. Pretty much since each started. He says the PM need at least as long. Can’t argue with that either

FWIW I was curious and checked. He shared a spreadsheet of most of his wines so I can make requests or suggestions for our Friday night get togethers. He has 72 different chardonnays from PM and Aubert accounting for different bottlings and vintages. He has multiples and magnums (plenty of both). He buys healthy allocations every year. We are gonna be drinking them for a long time. Happy to have him as a friend and the wine is just a bonus

I find their Pinot to be a hot mess, really just awful stuff. The last one I had was more akin to Port than Pinot, had to be 16+ on the alcohol. Everyone was on new world Syrah.

I could not agree more with this assessment. It simply alludes me! #2 on WS? Laughable. And I’m a huge domestic Pinot fan. My dog is named Kutch and my previous one was Rochioli!

Just got a save the date for Aubert fall release coming July. Looks like they had acquired a new vineyard - Park Avenue thats between Lauren and CIX. Think I will also go easy on their pinot this year. They are quite heavy and Syrah-like as many had mentioned.

I’ve had a few 2018 Hudson’s recently, and have been quite impressed. I’ll also try the Park Avenue. The few 2019s Chardonnay’s I’ve had so far (UV-SL, and CIX) have needed more time, but still very pleasurable. I’ll be loading up (minus the Pinot, a bit heavy for my tastes).