2018 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard

I didn't think Mark Aubert and assistant winemaker, Laura Jones, could top their brilliant 2017s, but they may have done so with these stellar 2018s. The Chardonnays in particular are brilliant. The even, cool growing season yielded Chardonnays that are bright, focused and so expressive of site, with lively acids and phenomenal length. Whether it is a reflection of recent vintages or more of a stylistic evolution, over the last few years, the Chardonnays have moved towards greater finesse. That's important to note because the Pinots remain pretty rich and exuberant in feel, a difference that has become more apparent in recent vintages. In the Pinots, I especially liked the UV-SL, which is, to me, the most similar to the Chardonnays stylistically, whereas the UV and CIX are, by comparison, more bombastic. I tasted all of these wines in October 2019. The Chardonnays were in tank, being prepared for bottling, while the Pinots were bottled in July.