Chardonnay
YEAR    WINE/DESCRIPTION    PRICE
2010    Broadside Wildly Fermented Edna Valley Chardonnay
Broadside is a collaboration between Chris Brockway of Broc Cellars and Brian Terrizzi of Giornata. If this winery has a mission statement it is to produce great "artisanal wines that are for people to drink not collect." This 2010 is from a 40-year old site utilizing the Wente clone. Stainless through and through, fresh, very good intensity, nice layered complexity, lemon verbena and honey.
   $17.25
2009    Brewer-Clifton Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay
If you like your Chards on the elegant, silky, layered side, the 2009 BC Santa Rita Hills will fill the bill. WA 92 pts.
   $34.95
2009    Crowley Maresh Dundee Hills Chardonnay
Looking for a cool-climate, Burgundian-styled Chardonnay? This is the ticket. Barrel-fermented, no new oak. 50 cases produced.
   $64.95
2008    Hanzell Vineyards Sonoma Chardonnay
WS 91 pts.
   $55.00
2008    Stonestreet Lower Rim Alexander Valley Chardonnay
RP 96 pts.
   $64.95
2007    Kongsgaard The Judge Chardonnay
150 case production. RP 98+ pts.
   $580.00/magnum
2006    Marcassin Marcassin Vineyard Chardonnay
RP 96+ pts.
   $195.00
2006    Marcassin Three Sisters Chardonnay
RP 96 pts.
   $155.00
2006    Sans Permis Cuvee Juliet Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay
If Thomas Rivers Brown has his hands on a wine project, I will perk up and take notice. This super-talented winemaker for Schrader, Maybach, Outpost, Hourglass, and Rivers-Marie also made some killer whites for Sans Permis. "Never heard of it you say?" Well, here's the skinny. SP was started by George Van Duzer, who knew Brown from their days working at Turley. The 2004 wines received gonzo reviews from Parker, but then the operation ran into financial trouble and went bankrupt. With a name meaning "without permit" I guess that outcome goes with the territory. The liquid assets were frozen, so to speak, in a temperature controlled storage facility. Originally priced at $40-$45, the 2006's are now being released at a hugely discounted price of $19.95 per bottle. Single vineyard Chardonnay from Durell and Bien Nacido Vineyards coupled with the genius of Thomas Brown for $19.95? Is there a better Chardonnay value out there?
   $19.95
2006    Sea Smoke Chardonnay
   $185.00/magnum
2004    Kongsgaard The Judge Chardonnay
RP 98 pts.
   $274.95
2003    Peter Michael Point Rouge Chardonnay
RP 97 pts.
   $260.00