This is so delicious, and a perfect end to the work week. It’s ruby red and medium bodied. Nose is a bit subdued, with woody herbs, hints of leather, and some raspberry/black cherry as well. Mouthfeel is smooth and rich with beautifully saturated black cherry flavor and a layer of all spice, bay leaf, and subtle leather. Just beautiful. Medium acidity and medium tannins. Long, splendid finish. Now I need to buy a few more bottles to see how this evolves. Day 2: Still beautiful. Getting some sassafras and strong anise flavors now with soft hints of leather in the background. — 3 months ago
Not sure, I think it’s a bit maderized. However still giving some grippy tannins, rich cherry, vanilla and wood…375 ml. Kind of played out — 6 months ago
NOSE: muted, red fruit, oaky vanilla, graphite
TASTE: super smooth, the fruit is candied and dried (cherry and maybe some fig?), mild spices and earth and fragrant wood — still enough acidity to keep it balanced. I like more fruit and oomph, but it is good. 92. — 8 months ago
Muirwood – Chardonnay 2023
Arroyo Seco, Monterey – Central Coast, California 🇺🇸
Overview
Made from 100% Chardonnay, sourced from certified sustainable vineyards in Arroyo Seco, Monterey. This sub-region of the Central Coast is known for its cool winds and gravelly soils, providing ideal conditions for crisp, balanced Chardonnay.
Aromas & Flavors
Fresh tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, melon) with notes of citrus zest and green apple. Subtle floral lift, with just a faint hint of oak spice in the background.
Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied, crisp, and fruit-driven. No heavy butter or overpowering oak — instead, clean acidity and bright fruit define the palate. Smooth and refreshing finish.
Food Pairings
Great with grilled shrimp, sushi rolls, roast chicken, or summer salads. Perfect as an aperitif or paired with lighter fare.
Verdict
A balanced, refreshing Central Coast Chardonnay — tropical and crisp, sustainable, and delightfully easy to drink. Not a “buttery bomb,” but a modern, clean style that shines with food. 🌿🍍cheers!
Did You Know?
Arroyo Seco (meaning “dry creek”) is one of California’s coolest AVAs, where maritime breezes from Monterey Bay help Chardonnay ripen slowly, preserving acidity and freshness. — 9 months ago
Slightly deeper ruby garnet , narrower rim . Deeper and younger , touch of wood smoke then quite ripe black fruits , rounder with better definition on the nose than the 1994 . More degraded cassis and grafite noticeable than the wine before, tobacco , touch of seashell , marine influence comes though . On the palate the fruit fills out better than the 1994, quite dark and serious , grafite , tobacco and cedar , however the tannin is less rustic and better integrated . Nice balancing acidity. This has quite good length and is showing well now though could age a little longer. Probably is best drunk over the next few years — 3 years ago
Steal of a value in the world of Oregon PN — a month ago
First pour of this and I was like, “uh-oh”. It was clearly full of flaws (Brettanomyces, VA and maaaaybe some slight TCA) but would they be too much to appreciate the wine? Only time would tell so into the decanter it went. After a lot of air, it became clear this was Brett and VA. The wine pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing (still) with notes of blackberries, umeboshi, animale, purple flowers, black pepper, red Flintstone vitamin, horse blanket, wood varnish, and sous bois. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. An elegant, complicated bottle. This is my second time with the 1997 vintage and due to the flaws, a different adventure than previous. That being said, this decidedly grumpy, Burgundian expression of Clape’s Cornas paired really well with the dry-aged steaks. Drink now, with a lot of patience, through 2037? — 2 months ago
Plum, oak, vanilla, pepper, cherry. Bold palate with ripe dark fruits. Blackberry, fig, prune. Silky tannins.
— 2 years ago
A complex, stunning, beautifully elegant wine!
Really well preserved bottle with very little ulage!
Needed a bit of time to open up and lose the damp smell - showing cedar wood, cigar box, red fruit, leather, a bit of mushrooms, complex & still evolving in the glass!
On the palate this was smooth, mellow with bright acidity, layers of juicy red fruit accents and tertiary aromas. The length was just incredible. Sophisticated & elegant.
A truly spectacular & special bottle! — 2 months ago
Floral notes on the nose — roses, hibiscus, plus mint, and the dry fragrance of sun-bleached wood. Strawberries on the front. Medium tannic structure. Black tea high notes with hint mint on the mid palate. Citrusy finish with long acidic afterburn. My description fails in that it makes it sound like a light and floral wine. But taken altogether, this is wine is rock solid, and it hasn’t even begun to develop. — 6 months ago
Willamette Valley does it again on the pinot — 8 months ago
Birth year tastings, evening 4. Concentrated, deep and dark mysterious color. Blackcurrant, creamy, moisty potting soil, oriental spices, fleshy notes, firm tannins, chalky, obvious but also nicely balanced use of wood, powerful and impressive. Still a baby, or rather, a toddler, with plenty years ahead of it. — 9 months ago
Joel Lara
A bit shy on the nose, with pomegranate, cherry, and hints of sweet spice. On the palate, bright acidity really amplifies the fruit, with an underlying layer of spice, orange zest, and sandalwood providing a nice contrast. Medium bodied, with medium tannins that provide a supple mouthfeel and slight bitterness on finish. Noticing some tea notes as well on the finish. Paired well with herb-roasted chicken along with roasted potatoes with feta and dill. — a month ago