Bob McDonald

9.4

Winner of the James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge from 680 entries in 2014. See previous Delectable note. Those modern leesy, flinty, struck match and smoky notes have come together nicely at 11 years of age together with nectarine. Delicious - sadly my last bottle - wish I had a few more. Yet another great producer of top quality Chardonnay from Margaret River. — a month ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

Pfalz nose, peach, apricot, huge minerals, oeach fuzz, wow what a nose, so so aromatic. wow huge fruit and acidity but also round like elite riesling. So so deep, cuts a swath across the palate. There’s honey but more will come with age. Inner mouth confectionary, killer, so deep and such a long finish. Wow. Amazing acidity and so ultra long. Juicy and delineated. Needs air and I will be back. Unreal grip and tannin and so explosive. Just stunning. American GG in the house. Now after 9 hours the nose is more complex with wet stones and more pronounced peach and apricot. So juicy and energetic and huge citrus. — 3 months ago

John Pavlovich

9.6

A wonderful bottle of wine, that you usually don’t drink on a lovely warm July evening. But what the heck, why not. We don’t get many evenings like this in our neck of woods. From the first whiff you know it’s a serious wine. In its prime, deep colour, slight bricking at edges, dense and deep, earthy, definitely not a wimpy wine. A long and persistent aftertaste confirms that this is a serious wine. And highly enjoyable one, too bad I don’t have more. — 2 years ago

Seth Masterson

9.4

I smell apricots, honeysuckle and a touch of a wood refinishing shop where an old man has been rubbing turpentine onto ancient woods. The smell of this Manzanilla makes my mouth water and I didn't want to take my nose out of the glass.
On first taste it has a bit of an 'Uh oh what have so gotten myself into' kick in the pants of your pallete. As the sherry warms in your mouth let it explore of the crevices and you will find flavors in corners of your mouth that I you have not encountered before in any bottle of non fortified white wine.
The freshness of this when served chilled and the amazingly long aftertaste make it one of the few wines that I prefer to drink on their own but it pairs great with simple salty food like premium organic fries tossed sea salt!
A steal at $16 for a half bottle at Little Death. (I've paid $13 for a three ounce pour of this at a tapas joint) — 3 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.8

Wow. The nose is neutral. OMG that palate is decadent and severely structured and the most velvety tannins that are squeezing out unreal tiny fruit intensity. This is the most epic Pinot in Oregon. This is a french Grand Cru wine being made in Oregon. Unreal structure, high acid, Inner mouth aromas. Judgement deferred. 9.6 based on past notes. I will follow this over the next few days. After 7 hours nose is more decadent but still not yielding what it can. This will be better tomorrow. Lovely spice but I know what this wine can be. The texture on the palate though is really coming through. Juicy and supple but still clipped finish. But long. 9.6 to 9.7. but I can’t wait for tomorrow. It’s so juicy and so layered. Impressive. Palate is so supple and dense on day 2. Unreal tannins, depth, sweetness and power. 9.7 to 9.8. — 3 months ago

Daniel Bloom

9.0

You know something special is afoot when this is the basic* juice.
N: Rhubarb, orange/red flowers, strawberry candy. You could smell this for days…or nights.
P: It’s crisp and cool,forest fruits and paired with Hen of the Woods and creminis, polenta, we’re in the pocket. There is that subtle sous-bois , or underbrush to it that matches so well.
Delicious stuff. — 2 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

Love this wine. Nose is a bit reduced and sulfury but that will blow off as I’ve had this bottle before. So JD on the nose for now. Palate is so bright and elegant with pitch perfect fruit and density. So clean and mineral. Wonderful minerality, brightness, texture and length. So compact. Super mineral and not at all like Austrian GV. Such nice acids and freshness. This is terrific. Almost tannic on the finish but in a white wine kind of way. Long. I’ll be back for the nose.

On day 2 the nose is so good. Candied lemons, white pepper, vegetables, just sick. Palate is focused, rich, clean and mineral. Salty and long 9.2 to 9.3 overnight. — 3 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.8

Huge Chablis nose. Minerals and sea shell. Brown sugar, tree bark, wow that brown sugar, so so salty, some white flowers as well. Palate is extraordinary. Structured and pure. Salty throughout. Delicate citrus sweetness. Superb concentration. 12 months barrel and 6 months tank. All sur lie. Long finish and so delineated. Salty and juicy. 5% new oak. Unreal complexity. Oregon oak in the wine only. The finish is crazy. The brown sugar is haunting now. This is insanely good and so complex one cannot believe it. The concentration of minerals, salt, citrus and structure is just off the charts. Best chardonnay ever from here. After 11 hours open the nose is screaming minerals. Palate is so energetic and compact. Amazing minerality and sweet minerals. Glorious. So juicy, pure, balanced and compact. Best Oregon Chardonnay I ever had. Really great on day 2. Like a Puligny 1er cru/GC Chablis cross. Stunning finesse. So juicy and mineral with smoke and iodine and palate staining sap. 9.7 to 9.8. — 3 months ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

Gorgeous nose of iodine, sweet wood, dark forest, herbs, woodland berries, green apple, salt and more. Palate is so tangy with meyer lemon, lime flesh and so much minerality. Like licking a stone on the finish and also has terrific sucrosity. Sweet tree bark on the nose now and also morning dew and flowers. Terrific inner mouth aromas and great concentration and sapidity. Long, mineral finish and this will open and I am here for the ride. Gets deeper with structure as it airs. Amazing finish. Potentially the best vineyard for Chardonnay in all of the Willamette Valley. After 11 hours open this is singing. Nose has wet moss, mint, hickory, saline and alpine scents. Palate is ripe, chewy, rich and energetic. — 3 months ago

Ely Cohn

9.3

This is Grade A Gamay manufactured right here in the USA. Tamed, cool to touch. No stemmy crunch, no VA. Elegant and dialed in, expressive fruit and soft comfortable blankety textures to snuggle right into.

Blatant black cherries, tiny wild strawberries and raspberries all the way down to a balanced bed of acid. — 3 years ago

with Cody