Aged to Perfection
Prime drinking: Mid 2022 through 2027
Graceful ageability: 2028+
Winemaking
32 months in barrel (roughly double than most ultra premium Chardonnay) they bottled the utterly gorgeous, unabashedly old school results unfiltered. All this extra time in barrel produced one of their most sumptuous Russian River Chardonnay to date.
Stiling Vineyard
Rued and Sees Blocks: These two Chardonnay blocks sit on a flat middle section of the vineyard, just east and parallel to Vine Hill Road. Slightly eastern exposure moderates the temperature in this otherwise exposed section, leading to harvest dates toward the end of September or early October with brix usually around 22-24 at harvest. Both blocks are similar in aspect and the main difference is clonal, with the Rued tending to be floral, tropical and overtly fruity while the Sees offers more restrained apple and spice character.
Vintage
The 2018 Sonoma County vintage offered moderate weather, cool evening temperatures and a long, even growing season. The weather conditions were ideal and allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly over the course of summer and early fall. This allowed the grapes to gain flavor complexities and ripe tannins, while retaining natural acidity. The vineyards offered grapes of exceptional quality and high yields alike.
Analysis
Appellation: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Vineyard: Stiling
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Clones: 96% Rued, 4% Hyde
Aging: 32 months, 60% New French Oak
pH: 3.42 TA: 6.2 g/L
Bottling: June 7, 2021
Release date: Spring 2022
Alcohol: 14.2%
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All Wines
Drinking Fantastic!
Wonderful texture, and supple mouthfeel. Offering aromas of dark cherry, spice, and tobacco. A full mid palate with flavors of black cherry, blueberry-pomegranate and cherry cola, embellished with toasty oak.
94 Points
Rich and generous, with a deep purple hue. Aromas of crushed violets, ripe berries, blueberry pop-tarts, black currant, licorice, chocolate-coated espresso beans, allspice, and cedar box. Full-bodied with a plush, velvety texture.
93 Points
Rich dark black fruits, blueberries, blackberry bon bons, cassis, fragrant violets, tobacco leaf, and baking spices. Long, plush tannins alongside its dense fruit character. The palate delivers baked berry crisp, black and red fruits, toasted walnuts, brioche and cedar on the finish.
94 Points
Deep garnet-purple in color, with notes of crushed blueberries, ripe, fresh blackberries and warm cassis plus hints of bay leaves, bark and lavender. The medium-bodied palate is chock full of crunchy black fruits, framed by ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness.
94 Points
Aromas of sliced apple, white peach, notes of freshly baked bread with tones of lemon zest. Sleek and rich, features concentrated McIntosh apple, pear, and honeydew melon flavors, with a creamy nuance. Light buttery notes fill the lusciously spiced finish.
Lip Smacking Delicious!
Refreshing flavors of watermelon, cranberry, orange rind, fresh spring flowers and a whiff of strawberry leap from the glass... Dry, aromatic, and has a nice roundness and texture. Simply easy drinking, mouth-watering stuff that you know and love.
90 Points
Polished with a very modern feel - think rich, concentrated, intense, deep and very long, with tons of sexy black fruit, and just the right touch of French oak. This stuff ROCKS for the price!
91 Points
Deep garnet-purple color with enticing and fragrant with notes of blackberry pie, Bourbon soaked maraschino cherries, Madagascar vanilla bean, mission figs, graphite, candied walnut, and cedar. Its palate provides big, round chewy tannins, stewed black plums, brambly black fruit, toasted nuts, char, and a touch of dark roast coffee.
Ripe, roasted apple, pear, pineapple and accented by caramel, clove and vanilla enter onto the nose and palate of this voluptuous wine, which is generous in oak and fruit. Pear, apple and citrus flavors combine around high-toned, floral aspects. A thread of honeysuckle adds aromatic intrigue that persists through the lengthy finish of creaminess as it goes.
90 Points
Rich and full-bodied Zinfandel graced with elegant structure and richly nuanced flavors of blackberry, cherries, plum and ripe fig. A subtle waft of roasted coffee beans and lightly toasted almonds with soft raspberries in a luxuriously long and persistent finish.
93 Points
Aromas of fresh peach, Asian pear, citrus, and honeycomb to delight your senses. The flavors are just as complex with delightful, with hints of Madagascar vanilla, followed by fresh lemon, green apple, wildflower honey, stone fruit, and a touch of lavender. The rich, dense texture is balanced by its juicy acidity, leading to great minerality and a long, satisfying finish.
94 Points
Showcases skill, balance and depth, offering juicy black cherry, strawberry and cola with savory notes of black tea, nutmeg and earth on its soft and refined palate. Drinking exceptionally well now with a fresh complex bouquet that draws you right into the glass that leads into a long satisfying finish.
93 Points
Deep red hue and hints of violet teasing the senses with seductive aromas of dark fruits, wild berries, cocoa, baking spices, leather, and cigar box. Filled with saturated flavors of ripe blackberry, blueberry, cassis, cherry cola, ripe plum, fresh sage, licorice, clove, and roasted black walnut.
Tropical, rich, with tons of layering and depth... aromas of key lime, papaya, gala apple, cherry blossom and lemon. Flavors of melon, lime, orange, sweet lemon, Asian pear.
93 Points
Cherry and black raspberry and chaparral on the nose. Currant, blackberry, mulberry and white pepper offer a savory finish that contrasts the hints of vanilla. Medium body. Racy, fine finish.
94 Points
Blueberry, currant and sweet spice on the nose, clean and focused with silky layers of lush red fruit, surrounding a center core of damp earth and graphite. Subtle notes of sandalwood, and tobacco. Medium-bodied, polished and creamy with firm yet well-rounded tannins.
90 Points
Earthy notes of coffee bean, plum, and black pepper. Flavors of juicy black currant and black cherry explode on the palate. An uplifting freshness is carried through the mid-palate with complex and dense tannins.
