Elegant, succulent and creamy, with apricot and Meyer lemon flavors that show plenty of nutmeg-laced spice details, backed by a lingering note of toasted sesame seed. Drink now. 250 cases made.
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N°81 Chardonnay Reviews
Score: 91 | March 1, 2017 | Wine Advocate
The 2014 Chardonnay No. 81 is scented of ripe apples and peaches with hints of cedar, baking bread, marzipan and ginger. Medium to full-bodied and silken textured, it offers a great concentration of clean, ripe stone fruit flavors with some savory characters coming thorough on the long finish.
Score: 94 | March 4, 2016 | Wine Advocate
The 2013 Chardonnay No. 81 from Sonoma Coast is a more steely, mineral-laced Chardonnay that tastes like a grand cru Chablis, with loads of crushed rock, white currant and quince. This full-bodied Chardonnay is a dead ringer for a grand cru Burgundy. It is gorgeous and reserved, but intense at the same time.
Score: 90 | April 1, 2014 | Wine Enthusiast
Editor's Choice. A beautiful Chardonnay, dry, crisp in acidity and complex in tropical and citrus fruit, peach, honey and oak flavors. The richness is balanced by a flavorful minerality and the finish is dry. At this price, the wine can stand beside more expensive Chardonnays, which make it a value.
Score: 90 | December 1, 2013 | The Wine Advocate
In contrast, the 2011 Chardonnay No. 81 exhibits more wet stone, white peach, apricot and gravelly notes along with a steely backbone, good acidity and excellent freshness. This impressive, mineral-laced, linear-styled, impeccably made Chardonnay should drink well for 3-4 years.
Score: 91, Editor's Choice | July 1, 2011 | Wine Enthusiast
Go elsewhere if you’re looking for a big, oaky Chardonnay fruit bomb. This one is controlled and elegant, offering tantalizing hints of pineapples, minerals, sweet cream, buttered toast and spices. The acidity is mouthwatering. An elegant, food-friendly wine at a good price. — S.H. (7/1/2011)