Old Chards
 

1995 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay - this wine was a killer when young, but seemed to
age prematurely. I have one friend that really likes aged Chardonnay, so I
pulled this out together with a backup for him. The colour of a Madeira (and
not a sercial!) really quite dark. The nose, which used to feature lemon and
vanilla, has turned to a luscious toasty caramel. In the mouth it was well
balanced and ended with a nice mineral note. It was old, but good. We should
all be able to say the same thing.

1994 Mondavi Carneros Chardonnay - not as dark in colour, and the oak in the
nose, which used to dominate, has finally melded into a harmonious whole, with
toast and lemon. In mid-palate, cleaner and not quite as heavy, and the finish
was oddly enough quite similar to the Australian wine, with a definite mineral
note you don't see very often in American Chardonnay. Tasted blind, I'd have
said this was the younger wine.

Both wine were quite pleasant, although many people would deem them over the
hill. It takes a special sort of person to enjoy 'mature' chards!

Old Chards
 

"Bill Spohn" > wrote in message
...
> 1995 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay - this wine was a killer when young, but
seemed to
> age prematurely. I have one friend that really likes aged Chardonnay, so I
> pulled this out together with a backup for him. The colour of a Madeira
(and
> not a sercial!) really quite dark. The nose, which used to feature lemon
and
> vanilla, has turned to a luscious toasty caramel. In the mouth it was well
> balanced and ended with a nice mineral note. It was old, but good. We
should
> all be able to say the same thing.
>
> 1994 Mondavi Carneros Chardonnay - not as dark in colour, and the oak in
the
> nose, which used to dominate, has finally melded into a harmonious whole,
with
> toast and lemon. In mid-palate, cleaner and not quite as heavy, and the
finish
> was oddly enough quite similar to the Australian wine, with a definite
mineral
> note you don't see very often in American Chardonnay. Tasted blind, I'd
have
> said this was the younger wine.
>
> Both wine were quite pleasant, although many people would deem them over
the
> hill. It takes a special sort of person to enjoy 'mature' chards!

Hi, Bill -

When you said "Old Chards" I assumed you meant 10+ years. I've had quite a
few California Chardonnays that were just starting to get good at 5 years,
and at plateau (which isn't really flat, so I don't know why it's called
that) for another 5 or more years.

I opened my last bottle of the 1995 Joseph Swan "Wolfspierre Vineyard" a
couple of days ago. The wine was a beautiful golden hue, but the nose was
youthful and without any hint of oxidation. I could have held it for at
least several more years, but it was rich and delicious with the BBQed
salmon I paired with it.

I bought it at the winery last year. They were blowing it out at a reduced
price (~$12 US) - probably because it had thrown some sediment in the
bottle, which was due to its not having been bentonite fined. It was a
nuisance to have to settle and decant the wine, but well worth the trouble.

Tom S

Old Chards
 

I have had several of Au Bon Climat's premium Chardonnays(from various
vineyards and selected areas of vineyards) that have held up well at 10
years old and past. In fact some of these wines are rather sharp at
first and need at least a few years to soften . Some that lasted well
include Benedict Vineyard 1989, Bien Nacido Reserve 1990 and 1991,
Arroyo Grande Valley Reserve Talley 1992, Le Bouge D'a Cote Bien Nacido
1992 and 1993. The problem is that production of these reserve wines is
tiny, and they are extremely difficult to purchase in many parts of the
country.

Some of Mount Eden Estate Chardonnays have aged well for extended
periods, and others have peaked and started to decline in just a few
years.

My mailbox is always full to avoid spam. To contact me, erase
from my email address. Then add . I do not
check this box every day, so post if you need a quick response.

Old Chards
 

"Bill Spohn" > wrote in message
...
> 1995 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay - this wine was a killer when
young, but seemed to
> age prematurely. I have one friend that really likes aged
Chardonnay, so I
> pulled this out together with a backup for him. The
colour of a Madeira (and
> not a sercial!) really quite dark. The nose, which used to
feature lemon and
> vanilla, has turned to a luscious toasty caramel. In the
mouth it was well
> balanced and ended with a nice mineral note. It was old,
but good. We should
> all be able to say the same thing.
>
> 1994 Mondavi Carneros Chardonnay - not as dark in colour,
and the oak in the
> nose, which used to dominate, has finally melded into a
harmonious whole, with
> toast and lemon. In mid-palate, cleaner and not quite as
heavy, and the finish
> was oddly enough quite similar to the Australian wine,
with a definite mineral
> note you don't see very often in American Chardonnay.
Tasted blind, I'd have
> said this was the younger wine.
>
> Both wine were quite pleasant, although many people would
deem them over the
> hill. It takes a special sort of person to enjoy 'mature'
chards!

Bill - Re Eileen Hardy - Many Australian chardonnays suffer
from this premature ageing in my experience - even the
expensive ones. I don't know what accounts for it - possibly
overuse of oak along with excessive malolactic fermentation
and comparatively low acidity. I don't take the chance
nowadays and drink them within 2-3 years of vintage.
Unwooded chardonnays are of course another story.

Martin

Old Chards
 

Another Cal Chard that ages well is Chalone. Had the 1980 about a
year ago. It was brilliant (both literally and figuratively).

Marc

Old Chards
 

Marc Branch > wrote:
: Another Cal Chard that ages well is Chalone. Had the 1980 about a
: year ago. It was brilliant (both literally and figuratively).

: Marc -

Did you just purchase this bottle? If you bought it from a place that has
good storage (meaning COLD), see if they have a chenin blanc or pinot
gris. Both of these were very good, esp. from the 80's and I think not
made anymore. The chenin blanc came from very old vines and was a unique
expression of that varietal.

Mark S

--

Old Chards
 

> wrote in message >...
> Marc Branch > wrote:
> : Another Cal Chard that ages well is Chalone. Had the 1980 about a
> : year ago. It was brilliant (both literally and figuratively).
>
> : Marc -
>
> Did you just purchase this bottle? If you bought it from a place that has
> good storage (meaning COLD), see if they have a chenin blanc or pinot
> gris. Both of these were very good, esp. from the 80's and I think not
> made anymore. The chenin blanc came from very old vines and was a unique
> expression of that varietal.
>
> Mark S
>
> --

The wine was from a friend's cellar. He had purchased it on release,
and it was the last bottle from a case. He opined that the wine drank
wonderfully from release right up to that last bottle. My own
vertical of the Chard extends only back to 1995.

Cheers,
Marc

Old Chards
 

I bought as part of a job a couple of years ago lot a case of Puligny
Montrachet 1970 la Garrene Bouchard (Pere et fils). Every bottle was
wonderful. I saw another identical case at auction last year, bought it, but
it was money wasted - all undrinkable.

That's auctions for you!

--

Regards

Peter Austin
Partner
Clearwater Hampers - www.hamper.com
Winner of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2003
Tel +44 (0)1235 833 732
"Marc Branch" > wrote in message
om...
> > wrote in message
>...
> > Marc Branch > wrote:
> > : Another Cal Chard that ages well is Chalone. Had the 1980 about a
> > : year ago. It was brilliant (both literally and figuratively).
> >
> > : Marc -
> >
> > Did you just purchase this bottle? If you bought it from a place that
has
> > good storage (meaning COLD), see if they have a chenin blanc or pinot
> > gris. Both of these were very good, esp. from the 80's and I think not
> > made anymore. The chenin blanc came from very old vines and was a unique
> > expression of that varietal.
> >
> > Mark S
> >
> > --
>
> The wine was from a friend's cellar. He had purchased it on release,
> and it was the last bottle from a case. He opined that the wine drank
> wonderfully from release right up to that last bottle. My own
> vertical of the Chard extends only back to 1995.
>
> Cheers,
> Marc

Old Chards
 

"Peter Austin" > wrote in message
...
> I bought as part of a job a couple of years ago lot a case of Puligny
> Montrachet 1970 la Garrene Bouchard (Pere et fils). Every bottle was
> wonderful. I saw another identical case at auction last year, bought it,
but
> it was money wasted - all undrinkable.
>
> That's auctions for you!

No, that's _provenance_ for you!

Tom S