2021 Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Napa Valley

Sliced cooked apples with biscuit and pie crust undertones, as well as hints of spices with some salted caramel. Hints of apricot. Full-bodied with a firmness and depth. Creamy-textured phenolics and great length. One of the best I have tasted. It is rich and flavorful, yet it shows great depth and length. Drinkable, but better in two or three years. (02/2023)

The price has almost quintupled since the 1991 played an instrumental role in the film "Disclosure" (1994; Michael Douglas, Demi Moore), but Pahlmeyer's 2021 Chardonnay remains a stunningly seductive wine. All barrel fermented and matured 11 months in 91% new French oak—mostly François Frères—bottled unfixed and unfiltered, it boasts an intoxicating perfume of gently toasted brioche, roasted cashews and hazelnuts, grilled pear and pineapple. In the mouth, it's medium to full-bodied, concentrated and dense, yet silky and fine, with a lingering, elegant finish. Fruit sources include the Pahlmeyer Estate Vineyard but also Stagecoach, Antica, Hudson and Hyde. - Joe Czerwinski (05/2023)