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93 Pt. Tayson Pierce Napa Valley Chardonnay 2018

$65.00

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$26.99
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  • Eric Rothchilds' interest in wine grew from his teen years through college and medical school to culminate in formal study of winemaking at the University of California Davis. This restless desire for improvement informs his excellent Tayson Pierce offerings from the heart of Napa Valley.
  • His son Taylor inherited his father's ambition, finding work at Francis Ford Coppola's Inglenook and leveraging his venture capital and private equity expertise to expand the winery's scope and market penetration.
  • Their 2018 Carneros Chardonnay uses barrel fermentation and extended lees-stirring to create a rich, full-bodied panoply of ripe stone fruit, honey-roasted pecan, buttered brioche, and toasty vanilla notes. Chicken Alfredo and French onion soup will find a helpful companion in this stunning 93-point California white.

Member Rating: 91

Tech Notes Wine Details Wine Advocate Jeb Dunnuck
Unit Size750.00 ML
VarietalChardonnay
Vintage2018
GrapeChardonnay
CountryUnited States
AppellationCarneros
RegionNapa Valley
Alcohol Content15.50%
By Tayson Pierce
2018 Chardonnay Single Vineyard

Varietal
100% Chardonnay

Vintage
After nearly four years of drought, 2018 broke the cycle with a mild, moist winter, quenching the soil profile with rain. The growing season started frost-free, with early bud break and nearly perfect shoot growth. This led to a healthy mid-April bloom, setting the stage for an early harvest. The summer ripened a moderate but healthy crop evenly and slowly. Harvest conditions were ideal, and without rush, we brought fruit reflecting a vintage of refined elegance.

Harvest Notes
All vineyards were handpicked on September 5th with 24.60 Brix. We had a morning pick into half-ton picking bins to keep the fruit cool and preserve freshness.

Winemaking
The Chardonnay was whole-cluster pressed into barrels. There was no settling in the tank, including the lees in the Chardonnay barrels for additional texture and richness. The barrels remained un-racked but with lees stirring until a month before bottling.

Tasting Notes
The 2018 Chardonnay has a nose of peach, pear, honey toast, brioche, butter, and honeysuckle. On the palate, it is smooth with no hard edges. There is a touch of an almost oyster shell/saline quality. The wine is full-bodied and rich with creaminess to the texture. Fresh and well-balanced with a mineral note on the finish.
[Information provided by Merchant 23]
2018 Tayson Pierce Estate Wines Chardonnay
Rating: 93
Producer: Tayson Pierce Estate Wines
Wine Region: USA, California, North Coast, Napa Valley, Los Carneros
Variety: Chardonnay
Color / Type / Sweetness: White / Table / Dry
Reviewed by Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Release Price: $65
Drink Date: 2020 - 2026
The 2018 Chardonnay rolls effortlessly out of the glass with expressive notes of honey-drizzled apricots, poached pears and honeydew melon with hints of creme brulee, praline and spice cake. The palate is rich, full-bodied and decadently creamy, packed with stone fruit and melon layers and tons of honey-nut and baking spice nuances, finishing long and savory.
Published: Jan 14, 2021
2018 Tayson Pierce Estate Wines Chardonnay
Producer: Tayson Pierce Estate Wines
Location: USA, California, North Coast, Napa Valley, Los Carneros
Color: White
Rating: 87
Tasting Date: 1/27/2021
Reviewed By: Jeb Dunnuck
Source: Napa Valley’s 2018s
Coming from a single vineyard in Carneros, the 2018 Chardonnay is a soft, fleshy, creamy white that has plenty of honeyed stone fruit, brioche, and toasted bread-like aromas and flavors. It's fully mature but nicely balanced and a solid Chardonnay.