2010 Chardonnay Rincon Vineyard

Brian Talley has moved completely to night harvesting in order to bring in fruit at its coolest, and the last two vintages here have been conducive to the Talley style."The only issue was the short crops," said Talley."He added that the 2011s are richer and a bit less tight than the 2010s and that he personally gives an edge to the 2010s "because even though they might be more concentrated and dense than the '11s, the '10s have an energy and focus to them that's special."He is convinced that 2010 is a highly ageworthy vintage:"the pinots should go on for a really long time."

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.