1996 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard

I've seen criticism of these wines on the Internet, and I wonder how many of these comments are from people who have actually tasted these stunning chardonnays. There is a billowy aspect to the texture of these wines, a lightness of touch-they are always ample but never heavy-that can hide their body and intensity, but then this is something that the finest white Burgundies accomplish. And, like the best white Burgundies, the individuality of the Marcassin chardonnays is strengthened through use of the wines' lees. The various bottlings typically show fruit character true to their sites, but could hardly be described as dominated by their fruit. It remains to be seen whether either the '97 or '96 vintages made by Helen Turley can match the '95s and '94s for sheer flavor development, but both sets of wines are among the superstars of their respective vintages. The '96 chardonnay and pinot noir from Turley and husband John Wetlaufer own Sonoma Coast vineyard, which I did not have the chance to taste in March, will not be released until the fall. The '97s from barrel showed great potential, the chardonnay tangy, minerally and pure, with an almost three-dimensional texture, and the ethereal pinot noir showing a velvety texture and delivering intense red and black fruit flavors without excess weight.