1998 Arcadian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (1/5/2014)
Just by the color, you know this wine has some serious age. Interesting nose, and I’m not exactly sure what I am getting besides apple and caramel, but there are other nuances. The palate is textured with apple skin and citrus turning sweet with butterscotch notes at the end, but it is not cloying. Very bright acidity keeps it alive, and not tired at all. A pleasant surprise.
I had a bottle of this last year, and it was really terrific. Not particularly advanced at all, and with serious acids.
Kudos to Mayacamas, Arcadian, Mount Eden and the other California producers who make chardonnays that age well. I’m guessing Liquid Farm falls into this category, though I guess we’ll have to wait until 2024 to see how they have actually performed.
It held up well overnight in the fridge, with no degradation. Quite tasty with sushi last night. I have one other Arcadian Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay - a 2007 - and I think I’ll forget about touching it for several years.
Thanks for the notes on this Diane, as I am holding a bottle of this. I also have a couple bottles of the 2000 Bien Nacido, which never disappoints. I find Joe’s chards to be of similar quality to Copain, Rhys, etc. at a discount to their cost. Very ageable to boot - I have the SHs back to the 2005 vintage.
Would you recommend pairing the 98 with food, or drinking alone?
Dave, I always select a wine to pair with food. Dinner was a New England styled fish stew, and it worked well,and as I mentioned, the wine was nice with sushi also. It has enough body and structure to stand up to some sturdy food. I can also see it pairing with some strong cheese.
Diane - it sounds to me like you need more Arcadian in your cellar. I have a bunch and every time I open one I ask myself why I don’t have even more in my cellar. In my opinion Joe Davis is one of the best winemakers in CA.