USA Chardonnay that might impress a French zealot of white Burgundy?

WINE TALK
41

Ceritas Porter Bass Vineyard.

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I have been in Burgundy many times when Jean Francois of Francois Freres has gotten Burgundians to argue over what village the white he was serving blind came from.
Most of these wines were made at. either Au Bon Climat or Robert Mondavi.

Robert Joseph, an English wine writer and provocateur, once staged a series of chardonnay tastings in different venues around the world. As I recall, he told me that in Burgundy the Mondavi was voted #1. Does that mean people were fooled or they just liked it??

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43

I’ve been very impressed with Wells Guthrie’s new Dupuis wines.

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Lately , we had an Aubert CIx 2013 that was excellent . I had served it blind to my wine club here in Belgium and nobody said new world. I think for 2 reasons : the wine is great and we had a lot of hotter vintages in Burgundy lately ( i.e. 2015 ) . I was positively amazed because we had an Aubert Sugar shack a few months That we found waaaay to sweet and honestly barely drinkable .
I live in Europe and am a big fan of white Burgundy . But I also love the Amercan chardonnays from California and Oregon such as Kistler , Mount Eden , Dumol Hyde , Haden Fig and the likes . Creamy , oaky , and sometimes complex full bodied delicious wines that we always drink before dinner on a lazy Friday evening . Yummy !
Mel , over the last 30 years or so , I have organized more than 20 blind tastings comparing white Burgundy to California , both in Belgium and in Beaune , even once with Jean Francois Coche . With very few exceptions , people easily identified what the wines were blind ( Except Clive Coates , surprisingly ) . With the new wines such as Ceritas and with some hot vintages , I think it is easier to trick people now .
But imho , both regions make excellent wines and always have .

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45

I like a lot of the answers. Stony Hill in particular sticks out.

As for Liquid Farm, I have tasted versions, at an earlier age, which I would say were somewhat Burgundian however in the last week two bottles of 2013 Bien Bien were very ripe and creamy and vanilla driven, beyond what I’ve ever noticed in a white burgundy. Not that they are not out there, they’ve just never crossed my path.

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From what I’ve tasted my top picks would be Kutch or Walter Scott. The lean and reductive style of these would have somebody hard pressed to taste them as New World blind. Clearly a resemblance to the style of Chardonnay that is very in vogue from Burgundy.

I’ve also had really enjoyable Chardonnays from Liquid Farm and Ceritas. In my experience they weren’t as reductive, acidic, and lean, but could be mistaken for Burgundy and very high quality.

I wouldn’t pick Ridge or Mount Eden. While they can be very nice, in some vintages the fruit ripeness can veer a little too tropical and the oak treatment can really stick out.

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Arnot-Roberts.

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Thanks for all the suggestions. I am leaning towards the Ramey Hyde since the 2017 is easily obtained and it also might be an interesting stylistic comparison with the Ramey Rochioli that I already have. I want to get an Oregon representative too, probably from Goodfellow or Walter Scott, based on the recs, .

49

Trout Gulch.

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50

There’s also Littorai, made by Ted Lemon, who also made wine at Roulot :wink:

51

Goodfellow and Walter Scott are great choices. There’s a recent tasting note on a couple of aged Goodfellow Chards from the Durant vineyard. Perhaps Marcus could scrounge up an older bottle for you.

And I love Liquid Farm’s White Hill, especially with 3 to 4 years of age. The most Chablis-like of their offerings.

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Frugal soul here would not have purchased these, but lucky soul received as gifts.

Benovia La Pommeraie, Green Valley of Russian River Valley. (2014)
Domaine Serene Recolte Dundee Hills. (2017)

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Or perhaps serve some oaky monstrosity in hopes that your guest will be provoked to teach you about good white burgundy.

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54

The best Aubert bottlings are right up there with great white Burgundies. Unbelievable complex, oak perfectly integrated, no too ripe or exotic fruit and a acidity to lift everything up. Sadly, it is hit and miss with Aubert. Only around 20% of the bottles I’ve had fall in that category, the rest far too often has a very sweet fruit core and not enough acidity to balance it out. But when it sings its certainly at the very top of US Chardonnay…

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55

Kistler, Hanzell… and another that has consistently surprised me, and has fooled friends in blind tastings: The Hilt Chardonnay The Vanguard. Especially with a bit of age on it.

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Wines like Aubert and Kistler have their appeal, and I can enjoy them from time to time, but nobody should ever mistake them for Burgundy. Which I realize is not necessarily the point in this thread, but they’re very far away on the spectrum from Burgundy.

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57

That is some next level rope-a-dope!

[rofl.gif]

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Had the 2011 Stony Hill Chardonnay last night — what a terrific wine. Not sure it’s a good facsimile for burgundy, but IMO the style (floral, bright, citrusy, very low oak, some herbal notes) should absolutely appeal to a burgundy lover.

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Totally this

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Let’s remember that the OP is asking for wines that will impress the guest, not fool him.

Dan Kravitz