Ming L

9.3

I opened this 2015 after the 16’ Branaire-Ducru.

The fruits are riper and slightly jammy with plum, blueberry, and blackcurrant, but it’s the savory expression that really sets it apart. Rich palate without excessive weight with lively acidity and fresh herbal lift. Kong savory finishes. Beautiful Bordeaux blend with Napa mountain fruits. — 8 hours ago

Peter Montoleone

9.4

Drinking really well right now! — 7 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Ruby with elegant red fruit aromas and gentle floral spice, aged for 10 months in French oak. On the palate flavors of cherry and cranberry with notes of tea, herb pepper with wet stone notes. Soft tannins on a long finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy mineral notes. Very Nice! — 10 months ago

Susan Hanners

9.1

Cranberry/currant on the nose, bizzare color, 1st sip raspberrish second taste apricot yet tart — 6 years ago

Aupa Monyatsi

9.6

Absolutely amazing wine, well rounded with a vanilla finish. Lawwd!!! — 7 years ago

Leslie Bartos

9.7

Wow! It’s been several years since our last bottle and it was worth the wait. Happy to have 4 more! Delicious fruit with plenty of brightness. Wonderfully balanced. — 7 years ago

with Tony

Timothy Lynch

8.9

Given its pedigree it's a tad uninteresting. Perhaps its prime was five years ago. (2001 Vintage.) — 8 years ago

Jammer

9.4

Lucious!!! — 15 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2006 vintage. Medium/medium-heavy body. Tannins pretty well-integrated at this point. If it is not at the top of its’ particular bell curve, darn near close. 3.20.26. — 7 months ago

Roger Ray

9.1

"A traditional Australian blend combining the expressiveness of Shiraz with the defined structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. This full-bodied wine shows ripe dark fruit aromas, voluminous richness and plentiful tannins. " — 9 months ago

Kamall

9.2

Deep, dark and lovely texture. — 5 years ago

Jocelyn Yard

9.9

Liquid perfection and shockingly drinkable straight out of the bottle. Didn’t need to decant — 6 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.1

Really nice blend. — 7 years ago

Maxwell Burns

Hospitality Kenwood Vineyards, Winemaker GARA

9.1

Blend of five vineyards. True old world Barolo, on the tame side. Earthy goodness . — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Chappellet — Grower Collection “Five Blocks” Calesa Vineyard Chardonnay 2020
Petaluma Gap AVA, Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview:
A very limited-production Chardonnay sourced from the Calesa Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Built from cool-climate tension and precision, this 2020 vintage elevates the profile of the wine with greater depth, layered complexity, and remarkable balance while preserving the vibrant tropical-citrus core characteristic of the site.

Aromas & Flavors:
Intense yet refined aromas of lemon curd, tropical citrus, baked guava, white peach, and subtle lychee, intertwined with delicate white spices and hints of mandarin zest. The palate unfolds in layers with vibrant citrus energy, savory mineral nuances, and beautifully integrated oak.

Mouthfeel:
Exceptionally balanced and textured. Fresh acidity drives the wine from start to finish, while a striking tension on the back palate gives the wine precision and lift. Creamy without heaviness, polished without excess, finishing long, energetic, and remarkably composed.

Food Pairings:
Butter-poached lobster, scallops, roast chicken with herbs, creamy seafood pasta, miso-glazed cod, or aged Comté.

Verdict:
A serious and highly expressive Chardonnay that showcases how powerful and refined California Chardonnay can become in the right cool-climate hands. The 2020 clearly steps above the 2022 in complexity, texture, and overall precision while still maintaining the vibrant tropical freshness that defines the vineyard.

🍷 Did You Know?
The Petaluma Gap’s cold Pacific winds naturally slow ripening and thicken grape skins, helping Chardonnays develop both concentrated flavor intensity and the kind of acidity-driven tension more commonly associated with top cool-climate regions. Cheers! — 6 months ago

Carter White

9.1

Crisp, lots of minerality, tropical hints, a nice twang. — 3 years ago

David McNally

9.1

Still huge after all these years (2003). A tiny bit on the port-y side (reduced). Well integrated oak. Baking spices, blackberry jam. Will it get better? Might try again in five years to see. Not as complex as I was expecting. — 5 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.0

Not exactly my style but it’s done well, so it’s good. Actually ended up enjoying this more than 75’s Cab. — 7 years ago

with Krystal

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.0

Cigars and ripe red cherries on the nose. Red apples from the Wizard of Oz trees and smoked bing cherry on the palate. Click your heels, Toto. We’re not in Kansas anymore. Grab your broomstick and take flight with this delightful berry manifestation. Or take shelter. This berry hurricane is headed straight for your mouth. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

When it comes to my B-day, there is only one fit, an old Pichon Lalande with my Ribeye. As a lover of Bordeaux, these two are my favorite pairing. It’s a very slow walk to the finishline. A small bite of steak and a sip of 89 Pichon Lalande. Then, repeat until finished. I had some concerns about this bottle. A slightly slippery and crumbling cork. The first sip was not bad, but not what you want or are expecting. After some time in the decanter, it really started to shine. On the nose; ripe, ruby, floral cassis, blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The body is full, round and silky. Tannins are well resolved at around 80%. The texture, length, tension and length are in a sweet spot. The fruits are ripe, ruby & expressively floral. Blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, scorched earth, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The acidity is just a little off but still nice. The finish is divided nearly equally in fruit, earth, florals and herbaceous. It’s very enjoyable but falls just a little short in longer, lingering length. This bottle had good storage, not great. Even so, still has another three to five years ahead. A bottle with excellent storage has another five years beyond this one. Photos of; the backside of Pichon Lalande, angled terrace view of their vines right next to Latour, my steak & twice baked potato (so good) and CEO Nicolas Glumineau. — 9 years ago