TN: Varner 2003 Amphitheater Block Chardonnay
I was reorganizing my lockers and found this burried deep, didn’t know that I still had a bottle of it. Was curious so brought it home and let it sit in the fridge for a few days. Upon pouring, deep golden color, looks like a mid-aged Sauternes. The nose was sherried, not too hard but definitely oxidizing. That carried through on the palate, but there was still some fruit, it was a balanced oxidized. Drinkable if you like orange wines, i.e., oxidized but not dead, still fruit, good midpalate and length although oxidized notes throughout. It was bought on release, had others that were good young, and cellared at 55 degress since. Maybe it was just this bottle, but makes me wonder about aging Varner chard.
Cheers,
-Robert
Robert,
I’ve had the exact same experience with my Varners. Currently anything 2004 and before seems to be a candidate for over the hill although how much so does seem to differ depending on the cuvee. I’ve had the most luck aging the Bee Block, but more and more I look at them as wines to drink on release and then over the next 2-3 years. I was hoping for longer aging based on the Santa Cruz Mountains, but I haven’t seen it yet.
I’ve had most (if not all) the Varners from 2003 to the present.
For whatever reason, these are not long aging wines.
They are at their best after 3-6 years of aging, IMO…
TTT
I can report similar results with 2003 and 2004 vintage wine that I tossed into off sight storage and recently pulled. Not good for wines that were pretty vibrant when released. Sherried, oxidized, cotton candied. yuk. Down the drain it went. 4 bottles all showed the same.
Thanks guys, good to know it wasn’t just that bottle. Will have to pull the younger stuff I bought and drink promptly.
Cheers,
-Robert
Similar experience with an '02 Bee Block last week. A bit dark and oxidative, but still had some vibrancy. I enjoyed it more than some of the others did.
I should add that I’ve had older Varners, such as the '99 Amp, that didn’t show this.