Quite good with toffee, apricot, honey, almond, and marmalade. — 4 months ago
Chappellet — Grower Collection “Five Blocks” Calesa Vineyard Chardonnay 2020
Petaluma Gap AVA, Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸
Overview:
A very limited-production Chardonnay sourced from the Calesa Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Built from cool-climate tension and precision, this 2020 vintage elevates the profile of the wine with greater depth, layered complexity, and remarkable balance while preserving the vibrant tropical-citrus core characteristic of the site.
Aromas & Flavors:
Intense yet refined aromas of lemon curd, tropical citrus, baked guava, white peach, and subtle lychee, intertwined with delicate white spices and hints of mandarin zest. The palate unfolds in layers with vibrant citrus energy, savory mineral nuances, and beautifully integrated oak.
Mouthfeel:
Exceptionally balanced and textured. Fresh acidity drives the wine from start to finish, while a striking tension on the back palate gives the wine precision and lift. Creamy without heaviness, polished without excess, finishing long, energetic, and remarkably composed.
Food Pairings:
Butter-poached lobster, scallops, roast chicken with herbs, creamy seafood pasta, miso-glazed cod, or aged Comté.
Verdict:
A serious and highly expressive Chardonnay that showcases how powerful and refined California Chardonnay can become in the right cool-climate hands. The 2020 clearly steps above the 2022 in complexity, texture, and overall precision while still maintaining the vibrant tropical freshness that defines the vineyard.
🍷 Did You Know?
The Petaluma Gap’s cold Pacific winds naturally slow ripening and thicken grape skins, helping Chardonnays develop both concentrated flavor intensity and the kind of acidity-driven tension more commonly associated with top cool-climate regions. Cheers! — 5 months ago
Drinking really well right now! — 6 months ago
Ruby with elegant red fruit aromas and gentle floral spice, aged for 10 months in French oak. On the palate flavors of cherry and cranberry with notes of tea, herb pepper with wet stone notes. Soft tannins on a long finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy mineral notes. Very Nice! — 9 months ago
Popped and poured into red Solo cups; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2006 pours a garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated black currants, blackberries, black cherries, tobacco, Poblano pepper, cocoa, fine warm spices and organic earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Quite delicious and a really lovely example of the 2006 vintage. Drink now through 2036. — 6 days ago

Dark ruby, dense black fruit aromas of kirsch and sassafras w a lingering high note of bergamot. Intense black fruit flavors long finish showing a bit of alc — 8 months ago
Lush, succulent Pinot…dark ruby on pour, dark fruits rise out of the glass setting the stage for an enjoyable first sip…no noticeable tannins…lingering finish…this vintage is in a really good place today — 5 years ago
Very nice on its own, elevated when paired with a lobster and corn custard appetizer at a Hope Club wine dinner. — 14 days ago
Great vineyard for this wine. Better than others I have had. Soft, round, and fruity. Random Tuesday watching Brewers put Cuba back into second place. — 4 months ago

Smooth, fruity, high alcohol. — a year ago
Bruce Dunbar
The 22 is a very pleasant wine marked by lemon zest and citrus notes, chalky minerality, and touch of acidity in the finish. What it lacks in depth, it makes up in drinkability and food-friendliness. — 6 days ago