Winery - Chalk Hill
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Even in a warm year, like ‘04, Chalk Hill’s estate Sauvignon teeters on the brink of unripeness. In this cool ‘05 vintage, it’s dominated by cat pee aromas and flavors. Aging on the lees, a dash of Sémillon and some new French oak lend softening nuances.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Chalk Hill is attempting to create a world-class PG, full-throttle with ripe fruit and sur lies, produced from selected blocks in the estate vineyard. But at three-plus years, the wine is losing the charm and vibrancy of its fruit, and is picking up the brittle, decaying character of a white wine that’s too old.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
They pulled out all the stops on this white Burgundy-inspired Chard. It tastes quite leesy, with a Champagne-like yeastiness riding over the tropical fruit and oaky, caramelized flavors. Complex and intriguing, this unfined, unfiltered Chard should drink well for the next few years.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The block is the oldest on the estate, with extremely low-yielding vines, and the wine is not produced every year. The resulting Chard is very concentrated and dense. Everything about it is big: the apricot and peach fruit, the smoky oak, the yeasty lees. Tasted in August 2007, the wine was a little disconnected, like the parts of an enormous machine that has not yet been put together. Give this ambitious young wine a year or so to come together.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Fruit and acidity star in this wine; aging in neutral oak barrels has given it just a little softness and creaminess. With no malolactic fermentation, the acidity is quite crisp and stimulating, just what you want in a wine of this dryness. It scores high on the deliciousness scale, with pineapple, lime and apricot flavors.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A letdown after the recent string of good vintages, the ’03 Merlot has an edge of overripe raisins side by side with a vegetal taste. It’s a strange, discombobulated wine, whose new oak seems out of place.
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Chalk Hill Merlot - 2003
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Here’s a Bordeaux blend that aims high and largely succeeds. It’s soft and intricate despite the thick tannins, with a mouthfeel like wool. Turns flavorful in blackberries and black currants, with more feminine hints of violets and lavender, then shuts down again on a tannic finish. Better after 2012.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
ultrarich, maybe too much so for elegance, with powerful caramel and vanilla crème brûlée flavors overpowering the pineapples, peaches and green apples. Still, there’s no denying the deliciousness. Crisp acidity fortunately provides balance.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Long known for their powerful, elegant Chardonnays, Chalk Hill’s 1998 offering is impressive for its complex array of aromas and flavors. The toasty, leesy, popcorn elements adorn full, richly nuanced sweet pear, pineapple and peach flavors. A lovely, smooth mouthfeel with a slight granular quality adds texture and interest. This refined wine exudes finesse and refinement.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
With Malbec so popular these days, I guess Chalk Hill decided to weigh in. The wine is inky black and bone dry, earthy, supertannic and not very interesting. It’s also seriously overpriced.
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Chalk Hill Malbec - 2004
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