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96-100 RP. "As for the 2015 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard, this is also from a very cold site, this one north of Fort Ross on the Sonoma coastline. The wine offers oyster shell minerality (or wet gravel), some pineapple, mango and nectarine, beautifully focused, full-bodied flavors, and a burgeoning complexity that is impressive on its own. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. Under owner Don Hartford, winemaker Jeff Stewart continues to produce a stunning succession of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs (as well as Zinfandels) under the Hartford Court moniker from generally cool-climate sites. His is one of the bright stars in the Kendall-Jackson portfolio of small estate wineries. Production of the 2015 Chardonnays was tiny because of poor flowering, especially on the Sonoma Coast, and quantities of all of the following Chardonnays varies from a low of 165 cases for the Jennifer’s to a full 1,200 cases for the Four Hearts (the only one actually in bottle). All of these wines are barrel-fermented, aged in 100% French oak (usually around 27-43% new), and bottled unfined and unfiltered. These exquisite wines can hold their own against the likes of Marcassin, Aubert, Kongsgaard, etc." Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate #227, Oct 2016 |