2015 Liquid Farm Chardonnay La Hermana - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (1/28/2019)
Day 1: Not as good as the last bottle. Saline, tangerine, minerals and really acidic. Almost Sauvignon Blanc like. Really tastes like a poorly made New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Will return this bottle if no improvement on day 2. Gut impression 84 points
Day 2: This is more similar to the first bottle experience. Had one dumped this out they would have lost out. Always try a bad wine on day 2 or 3. More Chablis like with shells, lemon, orange peel and mild oak. Short to medium finish and acidity is not as sharp. Much more balanced and back in the Chardonnay style one would expect. 90 points
Day 2.5: Really coming together and now is a Premier Cru like Chablis. Shells, minerals, lemon, subtle spice and match stick. Based on day 1 this wine needs a few years of aging. Unless you are a day 2 drinker hold until 2020. 91 points
Day 3: Holly transformation! Even better than day 2.5. More intense on the palate featuring shells, orange peel, mild oak, lemon and sour apple. Balanced and medium plus finish. Similar experience to the first bottle. 92 points
Recommendation: If you are going to drink this on day 1 2 plus hour decant. I would hold these for a few years. One of the biggest transformations from day 1 to day 3 in a good way to date! (92 points)
Chateau de la Greffiere Macon-La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes whatever vintage…I know you won’t believe me, but brown-bag this puppy and sneak it into any blind tasting of sub $40 Chardonnay. Everyday $15.99 at your local Binnys. This has been my “party-chard” by the case for years. Never let me down.
Willamette Valley:
Cameron Dundee Hills
Twill
Haden Fig
Walter Scott
Vincent
Lumos
Grochau Cellars
Kumeu River.
Very rarely do I buy the same wines again and again expect for Champagne, Chianti and Keller Rieslings. However in sub-$40 (although probably pushing the limit of late) Chardonnay I’ve been enjoying several vintages of Dubreuil-Fontaine’s two Pernand Vergelesses 1er Crus: Sous Frétille and Clos Berthet.
That’s good to know. I like P-V quite a bit for red burgundy, but haven’t really explored the white wines.
Forgot probably the best two:
PYCM and Vincent Dancer BB
I like their reds (especially the Corton Bressandes) but for me the whites are of more interest, especially these two cuvées. Sous Frétille is more acid-driven and linear while Clos Berthet is bigger and richer, more towards Corton-Charlemagne in style.
Also, Lafon’s various wines from the Macon.
Two estates that make good ones are Chandon de Briailles and Domaine Dublere.
Great list and I’ll add a few:
Crowley Four Winds and Willamette Valley
Brick House
Ayoub
Eyrie Estate
Arterberry Maresh Dundee Hills
and of course Goodfellow Durant and Richard’s Cuvee previously mentioned upthread…
I have both the Vincent and Goodfellow coming, and can’t wait to try these.
I would also second the Cameron suggestion.
Bowers Harbor Unwooded Chard… ~$16 and absolutely crushable.
or Ch de Rully 1er Cru ‘Clos La Bressande’ for ~$28
I like Walter Hansel Chardonnays. They are a big and fruity style. Some of them are a bit more than $40 but most are under.
Louis Michel any of those three listed above
Lamy la Princee ( I think it is still under or right around $40)
Olivier Merlin Pouilly Fuisse Sur la Roche
Goodfellow
We have noticed this exact same development with the White Hill bottling. Started out primary the first night with a bit of oakiness that then transformed on day 2 into a beautiful wine. Our remaining Liquid Farm wines will sleep a bit longer before we open them.
My thoughts exactly!!!
I’ll add Kutch Sonoma $40
and Ian Brand’s LPP Chardonnay at $20 is darn good as is Alfaro’s Trout Gulch Chardonnay (not quite certias but 1/2 the price)
At less than $20 I can’t think of a better chardonnay than Goodfellow Willamette Valley Chardonnay for my palate. If you like a hint more of a richer California style , then Cameron Dundee Hills certainly fits the bill or if your an acid head Vincents two Cuvee’s hit the mark. 2 of 3 are under $20. The others slightly over
Kirkland 1er Cru Chablis for $15 is pretty good too, but to me the Goodfellow Cuvee is lights out!
I Wish I could find PYCM for under $40. Do they really make anything in that range… All my bottles from them are 80 to $120+
Sean
Wilde Farm.
You’ve been forewarned.
Have two vintages from two different BDay’s. Need to pop one. Not surprising after tasting the Halcon and the Bedrock
Sean
I’ll look for the Dublere wine as well.
Chandon de Briailles is one of my top Burgundy producers(I really enjoy and can also afford the wines) and I do buy whites from them as well.