The Best California Chardonnay That You've Had In The Last 5 Years?

[Gabe_Berk]

2012 Kongsgaard The Judge… Consumed about a year ago without notes… This was next level (or two) as all the Judge wines are to me-

Disclaimer- I am a year in year out big fan of Kongsgaard Chard. They are rich and might not be for every day drinking but the wines are in a small group of wines that always excite me when I think of pulling the cork-

+1 on the 2012 Kongsgaard Judge Chardonnay. Definitely new world, but great acid, fruit, mouthfeel and a finish that seemed to linger forever.

[A_Rosen]

Marcassin
Aubert
Morlet
Paul Lato
Peter Michael

[T_Melloni]

In the past year since this thread started, I add:

2016 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard
2016 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard
2010 Littorai Chardonnay Thieriot Vineyard
2014 Rhys Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard
2016 Kutch Chardonnay Sonoma Coast.

I generally drink limited amounts of Chardonnay. But when I do, the ones I enjoy most are Ceritas, Kutch and Rhys.

[Jay_Miller]

2010 Rhys Alpine for the last year. I don’t trust my memory for 5 years.

[Sebastian_C]

2010 Rhys Alpine for the last year. I don’t trust my memory for 5 years.

Same. 2010 Alpine was wotn in a recent Rhys tasting I was part of.

[Steve_L_Gellman]

Aubert Eastside or Ferren

[John_Glas]

2013 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7/6/2019)
Mixed Bag at Kevin’s (Minneapolis, MN): Another great showing in as many weeks. Fresh wine with apples, spice, subtle oak, floral and pear. Complex wine and medium to long finish. I have yet to have a bad Leeuwin Chardonnay (94 points)

2014 Evening Land Vineyards Chardonnay La Source Seven Springs Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (6/29/2019)
Chardonnay Wines at Jason’s: Wow is this good! Best Chardonnay of the night. Spice, floral, wood, lemon and super complex. Rich Wine and long finish. This should drink well over the next five years. Thanks Ray! (94 points)

2012 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (7/15/2018)
Wonderful wine! Shells, perfume, lemon and minerals. Very complex wine and medium to long finish. Would love to try a larger pour of this at a smaller tasting. (94 points)

[Jeff_Rosenberg]

If not oak averse, I highly recommend Smith Madrone.

[Jay_Opperman]

Marcassin Lorenzo 1996.
Kongsgaard Judge 2003.
Ghost Horse Chardonnay 2014.

[Steve_L_Gellman]

Aubert Eastside or Ferren

Forgot to add Marcassin!

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

2004 Aubert Lauren in 2016.

[Craig_G]

2013 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7/6/2019)
Mixed Bag at Kevin’s (Minneapolis, MN): Another great showing in as many weeks. Fresh wine with apples, spice, subtle oak, floral and pear. Complex wine and medium to long finish. I have yet to have a bad Leeuwin Chardonnay (94 points)

2014 Evening Land Vineyards Chardonnay La Source Seven Springs Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (6/29/2019)
Chardonnay Wines at Jason’s: Wow is this good! Best Chardonnay of the night. Spice, floral, wood, lemon and super complex. Rich Wine and long finish. This should drink well over the next five years. Thanks Ray! (94 points)

2012 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (7/15/2018)
Wonderful wine! Shells, perfume, lemon and minerals. Very complex wine and medium to long finish. Would love to try a larger pour of this at a smaller tasting. (94 points)

Greater California.

[Frank_Murray_III]

In the past year since this thread started, I add:

2016 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard
2016 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard
2010 Littorai Chardonnay Thieriot Vineyard
2014 Rhys Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard
2016 Kutch Chardonnay Sonoma Coast.

I generally drink limited amounts of Chardonnay. But when I do, the ones I enjoy most are Ceritas, Kutch and Rhys.

T, cool call out on the 2016 Kutch. I know a # of us have flagged the 2014 as outstanding, but that 2016 has some of the 2014 feel in it too. What about the 2016 do you dig?

As for the 2014 Rhys Shoe you also listed, dude, the 2017 Rhys Chards–Alpine and Shoe–are outstanding. I have a slight preference for the Shoe, but both wines for me are going to be strong purchases when they release in 750s. Man, those are top of the class.

[T_Melloni]

In the past year since this thread started, I add:

…
2016 Kutch Chardonnay Sonoma Coast.

T, cool call out on the 2016 Kutch. I know a # of us have flagged the 2014 as outstanding, but that 2016 has some of the 2014 feel in it too. What about the 2016 do you dig?

Yes, that 2014 Kutch Santa Cruz Chard was/is an eye opener.

I think for me the element that stands out for all of the Kutch Chards - the 16 being the most recent one for me - has been the balance and harmony show in these wines.
I get a variety of fruits - whether green apple/under-ripe white flesh peach/kiwi/Meyer lemon or even pineapple - and the mineral/steel/wet stone component, and a nice saline/sea spray quality. And it all works. No one singular character takes center stage to the detriment or detraction of others, but they are all present. It is that balance and harmony that makes them elegant and inviting for me.
Same with Rhys and Ceritas.

[Wes_Barton]

Yes, that 2014 Kutch Santa Cruz Chard was/is an eye opener.

I mentioned that somewhere as being my fave as a ringer in a recent young and too young Rhys blind tasting. (Group’s 4th of 10.) As a huge Santa Cruz Mountains fan, this really showed it well. There’s a local shrub that contributes wonderfully to a lot of the SCM wines, perfectly framed here. Not all of the outsiders “get” how to best make wines from here. This is perfect.