Blue Mountain 2022 Estate Chardonnay 750ml

Blue Mountain has the advantage of 13 to 30-year-old vines in the ground, in effect the old and the new, leaving winemaker Matt Mavety with a selection of five different clones from which to shape his Eatste Cuvées. The perfectly tended vines that ripen with precision are picked early to retain freshness and, even more important, come in at or about 13 percent alcohol. The winemaking is simple: a whole cluster press is wild fermented and aged in French oak barriques for 17 months. The result is a sophisticated creamy chardonnay with juicy Meyer lemon and ripe nectarine flecked with spice and lees throughout the finish. Shellfish is the match, but it will also work with turkey or creamy pasta dishes. Real wine, and real value.

Score: 91 points -- Anthony Gismondi, Gismondi On Wine, May 2021