Stonestreet Chardonnay Red Point 2006:
I am not the biggest California Chardonnay fan, or really a Chardonnay fan in general. That is not to say I would ever turn down an offer to drink Montrachet, but there are certainly other white wines I gravitate to more. As far as domestic Chardonnays go I rarely find myself playing outside of the normal producers I frequent (obviously I am ITB so I taste a lot, I am referring more to my personal purchases and consumption). So, it was with great interest that I opened this wine. After all I bought this because, dare I say it . . . I read a review that had enough key words that appealed to me. Well, here’s mine: Typical color for the vintage, nice nose, highlighted by some tropical fruits, citrus peel and candied ginger. Excellent purity and mineral notes, balanced and well-made, far more complex than I expected. The acid is exactly right. Some melon notes, ripe peaches, crushed white stones and the essence of fresh popcorn, though there really only appears to be an “idea” of oak, which I really like. Overall, this is lively and fresh and should continue to improve for a few more years. A real gem. 92 points
(Preface- I work within their extended family)
Nice note John- Some of their Chards have been really surprising to me. They provide some great QPR (for what they hold their own against).