|
|
94pt Chardonnay Trifecta: Cutting the Fat off Point Conception
From 2007-2009, few Chardonnay makers on the coast received more critical attention than Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton at Brewer-Clifton. In 2009 -- not surprisingly given the short crop, exceedingly dry summer, and Brewer's unique approach to the variety -- Brewer-Clifton's single vineyard bottlings were neck and neck with Steve Kistler's for top scoring honors.
But even if the wild mineral concentration of today's stunning lineup tells an exquisite Grand Cru story, it wouldn't be until Greg invited us up to his feng shui bungalow in the Montecito hills that we came to understand not only where these signature '09s are now -- but where they're headed.
If you've never met Brewer or attended one of the Chardonnay seminars where he's frequently invited to speak, you're missing out on one of the edgiest voices the variety has even known. Some speak of their Chardonnay in terms of ripeness and concentration. Brewer's descriptors are far more tactile, citing the 'fat' of a vintage and the varied acid balance needed to 'cut' that fat. Some harp on the added complexities offered by high percentages of new wood and frequent oxidative stirring. Brewer is always the diplomat, never criticizing his peers, as he adamantly defends a non-interventionist approach that allows some of the most sought after tiny production Chardonnays in the country 'to find their own way.'
Steve Tanzer, easily the most revered and toughest Chardonnay critic on the planet, came on like gangbusters for the third vintage in a row, rating the 2009 "Mount Carmel," "Sweeney," and "Gnesa" Chardonnays 94, 94 and 93 points respectively -- just a hair behind Kistler and Kongsgaard. At Greg's dinner table in Montecito, the Sweeney and Mount Carmel, both vineyards backed up against Point Conception and Sea Smoke, were terrifically wound up, but equally 'fat,' slowly peeling away their high-toned citrus cloaks, all buttressed by piercing acid 'cut.' The "Gnesa" Vineyard bottling would be more generous -- or as Greg would put it, "fatter" -- packed with lemon tart juiciness, offset by mouthwatering acidity.
But it was the fourth bottle on the table that may well have told the most riveting story of that Santa Barbara evening. Greg told us he only had 8 bottles left of the 2000 Mount Carmel Chardonnay. After our roast chicken dinner, only 7 would remain.
It had been almost a dozen years since Brewer and Clifton brought in the tiny berry clusters for one of their first Mt. Carmel Chardonnays. Like 2009, this would be a juicy vintage, with plenty of lemon custard richness, beautifully cut by the cool maritime breezes off fog-shrouded Point Conception. Now, a decade after bottling, the 2000 Mt. Carmel Chardonnay, Brewer explained, would give us a sense of where today's lineup would be sometime in 2020! Had we not first tasted the 2009s, we might have assumed that the 2000 Mt. Carmel was just a couple years old. Grand Cru Chablis-like in character and structure, the color remained pale gold, the core richly cut, the texture dense and fleshy, the finish softly cutting all that Grand Cru fat.
|
|
Tasting Notes
2009 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Mount Carmel Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills
"Yellow-gold. An exotically perfumed nose offers candied orange, licorice and a hint of toasty lees. The most opulent of this set of chardonnays but there's uncanny vibrancy in play as well. Really expands with air, picking up a sexy floral and spice character, with a mineral note coming up. Finishes youthfully vibrant and long, with heady finishing notes of pit fruits, fennel and spices."
94 points -- Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
2009 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Sweeney Canyon Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills
"Bright yellow. The most high-pitched and mineral-driven of this year's chardonnays, displaying scents of chalk dust, lime zest, lemongrass and green apple, with a potent floral quality that gains strength with air. Strikingly concentrated and pure, with intense citrus, mineral, smoky lees flavors and notes of honeysuckle and jasmine. Really stains the palate, finishing sappy, focused and with superb persistence. I'd give this another couple of years of bottle age but wouldn't feel guilty drinking it now."
94 points -- Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
2009 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Gnesa Sta. Rita Hills
"Vivid yellow. Musky aromas of casaba melon, lime pith and ginger, with slow-building smokiness. Sappy, dense and stony; at once opulent and tightly focused, with lovely mineral lift contributing energy to its deep melon and orchard fruit flavors. The minerality drives a long, sappy, powerful finish. Hold off on opening this one."
93 points -- Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
|
|
*Important Shipping Information
- Orders will begin shipping the week of October 8, 2012.
- You will be provided with the exact shipment date during checkout.
|
|
Cart