2010 Chardonnay

I tasted a wide range of superb Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs with proprietor Brian Talley and winemaker Eric Johnson. Talley remains one of the great estates in California that has yet to be fully discovered. As a result, prices remain exceedingly fair considering the quality of what goes into the bottle. Stylistically, Talley prefers the more taut, mineral side of Chardonnay, while the Pinots tend to emphasize perfume over sheer size. Native fermentations, little new oak and minimal SO2 are all part of the gentle treatment these wines receive in the cellar. The 2010 harvest was characterized by a long growing season. Budbreak was early and temperatures remained cool throughout most of the year, with the exception of a period of heat in mid-September. The harvest was ten days later than 2009, with the Pinot coming in before the Chardonnay. Overall yields were on the low side. In 2009, the heat arrived around Labor Day, just as the harvest was about to get started. Talley describes 2009 as a little riper than his ideal. I have also included notes on Talley's entry-level Bishop's Peak wines.