Wine reviews
The 2022 Chardonnay Beckstoffer Carneros Lake Vineyard is stunning stuff, and this is one I can't wait to taste from bottle. Reminding me of a great Chardonnay from Aubert with its ripe pineapple, lemon oil, candlewax, and honeyed flower notes, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and that rare mix of richness and freshness. This will spend 15 months in barrels, and there are roughly 150 cases.
From Dijon clones planted in the mid-1990s, the 2022 Chardonnay Beckstoffer Carneros Lake Vineyard underwent partial malolactic fermentation. Scents of toasted hazelnut emerge on the nose, alongside apricot and orange marmalade—an almost sweet-smelling ripeness. In the mouth, the wine is medium to full-bodied, plump and generous, offering a nice sense of fatness without being too much, finishing bright and refreshing.