S&M

9.1

06/19/26 - Was quite pale for a Chardonnay. Had sweet notes, hay and green apple. Taste was surprising with light oak but a jammy sweetness to it. M thought apple butter and S thought sweet butter. — 10 days ago

Vinnie Daboul

9.9

The last of our 2018. It has aged really well. Deep ruby color, butter, some earth. Delicious. — 6 months ago

Edward Allen

9.0

Nice balance of fruit, oak, and creamy smoothness. Not too much of any one thing but I could use a touch more oak and butter against the fruit. I also prefer a bit more crisp body along with the buttery oak pulled off in the middle or lingering end, but this is a solid fallback and crowd pleaser. — 7 months ago

Peter Coulthard

9.2

Waitrose. Is a very B&B wine. Rich and fruity with elements of smooth buttery undertones. For a Cab Sav a bit different but I enjoyed this - was a pleasant glass with a meal. — 9 months ago

Severn G

9.5

So...I had a birthday a couple weeks back, due to scheduling my regular bottle finishing team wasn't available until now, so we're finally doing it up in my grand, unique style.

Notes possibly tomorrow, scores honestly tonight.

Decanted 8H.

24-Hour Update:
Nose has moist chalk, dry limestone-based soil, yellow peach, ripe pineapple, crushed flint, struck match, orange zest, warm Anjou pear, crushed oyster shell, cold butter and honeysuckle.
Palate has warmed (ripe) pineapple, under-ripe yellow peach, hazelnut butter, vanilla, orange zest and white peach.
A great bottle, which is quite youthful and should be revisited around 2025-30. — 5 years ago

Pablo Cetlinski

9.4

Beautiful balanced tropical notes, touch of butter and acidity — 6 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.3

This 2017 is a very lovely bottle of Chardonnay. Aromatically complex in the early going- showing lots of citrus blossom, honeysuckle and orchard fruit aromas. Ripe peach, hints of tropical fruit, sweet butter and toasted hazelnut flavors all very present. The freshness, lift and subtle minerality make this wine feel very kinetic and alive. Burgundy of this quality is consistently twice the price, and I predict a very nice aging trajectory here as well. Superb quality, great balance. — 8 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Mineral, a dash of oak, a little butter, but all pulled tight by that acid in the cheek. Linear, juicy, and built with a real hierarchy of flavor and structure. This has architecture. Real essence of 24 energy here. — 20 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Flowers Vineyards & Winery – Chardonnay – 2022
Sonoma Coast AVA – Sonoma County, California 🇺🇸

Overview
A pure expression of the broader Sonoma Coast AVA, this Chardonnay blends fruit from multiple coastal sites to deliver Flowers’ signature style: bright, fresh, and mineral-driven. Less oak-forward and less textural tension than their single-vineyard bottlings, this cuvée leans into steeliness, lift, and coastal clarity. Tropical fruit plays a leading role while creaminess takes a gentle back seat, exactly the balance that makes this wine so inviting.

Aromas & Flavors
Pineapple, Meyer lemon, green apple, and white peach, intertwined with coastal salinity, crushed shells, and light honeysuckle. Subtle hints of vanilla and toasted almond sit quietly in the background.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied, clean, and vibrant. Marked by high natural acidity and a steely mineral line that keeps everything refreshing. The finish is bright and persistent, more fruit-driven than creamy.

Food Pairings
Lemon-herb chicken, grilled halibut, shrimp linguine, caprese salad, or sushi with citrus accents.

Verdict
A beautifully balanced, coastally expressive Chardonnay that prioritizes freshness over opulence. Tropical lift, minerality, and gentle oak integration make this a standout for those who prefer precision over butter.

Did You Know?
Flowers was one of the pioneers of the far Sonoma Coast, planting vineyards in the early 1990s when few believed coastal farming was viable. Their Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is crafted to showcase the AVA as a whole, combining multiple sites to capture the region’s signature brightness and maritime drive. — 7 months ago

Austin Hohnke

8.9

Consistency. Slivered almond and popcorn kernel. Pair with butter chicken or crab cakes. — 8 months ago

Andrea Watt

9.3

Oak, lemon, and light butter over pear and brioche. — 4 years ago

Jeremy.Buss

9.2

Wonderful butter, pear, and slight apple that paired excellent with our apple spice brined turkey. — 6 years ago

Juliana Leite

10

Celebrating life! — 7 years ago

Lyndsey Wegner

9.0

A malolactic bite at the beginning, slight acid and finishing with apricot and butter. Loved this wine, full-bodied and complex. I'd definitely buy it again! — 8 years ago

with Giana

Stephane Bardin

9.2

Low acidity with a nice butter finish. — a month ago

Slestyan

9.0

Butter, oak, lime? — 2 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Ridge Vineyards – Chardonnay – 2023
Monte Bello Estate Vineyard – Santa Cruz Mountains – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A mountain-born Chardonnay from one of California’s most historic estates. The long, cool 2023 growing season delivered a wine of vibrant energy and varietal purity, shaped by indigenous fermentation and extended lees aging. Ridge once again proves that Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains can rival the world’s finest in precision and longevity.

Aromas & Flavors
Lemon zest, green apple, and white peach lead with lifted notes of chamomile, fresh herbs, and wet stone. Subtle toasted hazelnut and light vanilla cream echo softly from the barrel work, never overpowering the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Bright, linear acidity frames a medium-bodied palate with tension and focus. Silky texture from nine months on the lees adds quiet depth, finishing mineral, citrusy, and long.

Food Pairings
Grilled branzino, butter-poached lobster, roast chicken with herbs, shaved fennel salad, or creamy burrata with olive oil and sea salt.

Verdict
Beautifully balanced, mountain-driven Chardonnay that captures Ridge’s signature restraint and purity. Enjoy now or follow for the next decade, this vintage will reward both patience and curiosity.

Did You Know?
Ridge ferments its Chardonnay with indigenous yeasts and relies on minimal SO₂, crafting the wine with a philosophy closer to Burgundy than to typical California richness. The Monte Bello Estate vineyard sits at high elevation on fractured limestone soils, one of the rarest soil types in California for Chardonnay. — 7 months ago

Jose Castello

9.0

Great weekday wine. Kinda Light but earthy. — 4 years ago

Roberta Kallina

9.1

Very buttery hence the name. 🤣 i like it! — 5 years ago

Tom Garland

9.5

A milestone birthday requires some fun wines! 1st bottle to polish off is a 2008 Marcassin chard with Hog Island oysters, butter poached lobster, and shrimp.

Double decant for fine cloudy sediment. An irresistible medium gold color.. On the nose: nectarines, pineapple, vanilla toast, lemon, and crushed rocks. Taste: so gooood after 12 years. A slightly creamy wine with carmalized pear, wet stones, lemon peel, and a mineral peach long finish with good acidity. — 6 years ago

with Brenda