Description
Winemaker Notes
The delicate pale straw color of this vintage belies the complexity of the nose, with layers of tart apple and bright citrus zest wrapped in beautiful gardenia aromas. On the palate, citrus zest evolves into richer Meyer lemon, seamlessly integrated with oyster shell minerality and the salinity of an ocean breeze. Energy from the cool Sebastopol Hills site carries through the long, vibrant finish.
Professional Ratings
97 James Suckling
Lots of pears and pear blossom with lemon rind undertones. Medium body with plenty of fruit and energetic acidity with a pumice undertone. Some terra-cotta, too. Flavorful finish. Salty, too. Complex. Lots going on here. Drink or hold.
95 Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Chardonnay George Menini Estate comes from the Sebastopol Hills, where this vineyard was once an old apple farm. In the glass, it pours a bright silver/yellow color and is lifted and fresh on the nose, opening to notes of wet stone, dewy citrus blossoms, almonds, and fresh pear. Elegant and medium-bodied, it’s long on the palate, with delicate floral notes and hints of lemon curd through the finish. Drink 2025-2037.
94 Wine Spectator
Elegant, supple and highly detailed, offering a core of fruit flavors including ripe pear, Fuji apple, quince and lemon curd. Shows candied ginger, green cardamom and oolong tea grace notes, with a touch of salted caramel that lingers on the refreshing frame. Drink now through 2034.
94 Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2022 Chardonnay George Menini Estate comes from Paul Hobbs’s newest vineyard, planted in 2015. It was matured for 12 months, bottled in August of 2023 and tasted that November. It takes some time to reveal soft touches of beeswax and crème brûlée, quince and white peach, plus floral and saline undertones. The light-bodied palate is supple and vibrant, its crunchy, saline-driven fruit still coiled on the finish. It’s a bright, focused expression reminiscent of Chablis and will benefit from 2-3+ years in bottle.
93 Vinous
The 2022 Chardonnay George Menini Estate is another impressive wine from this estate site. Complex and dynamic, the 2022 impresses with its nuanced, vibrant personality. Orchard fruit, chamomile, spice, mint and light tropical notes open in the glass. More than anything else, I am struck by the wine’s impeccable balance and pure pedigree.
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