I've long thought that there was something especially fascinating about aged white wines. Sure, aged reds get most of the attention, but when a white wine ages beautifully, adding complexity and depth while retaining its vital vibrancy and focus, I find it truly compelling. That is exactly how I felt when I recently tasted these stunning bottles of Chardonnay from Legacy. To be honest with you I was shocked at how fresh and youthful the 2013 was. This wine could easily pass for a bottling of only 2-3 years old. But as the wine opens in the glass and warms up slightly the unmistakable complexities emerge taking the wine to a whole new level of nuance and intricacy. The crushed quince and baked apple is joined by toasted almond, stone ground flour, dry leaves, crush rock, hints of dried meadow flowers and spiced orange peel. Intensely mineral and savory rocky tinges mingle with the pristine and crystalline orchard fruit and warm pastry toasty notes. I love the combination of bright, fresh, racy focus, plus some broader savory elements creeping into the finish that fans out to the edges of the palate. Beautiful wine that's absolutely in it's prime drinking window but with another 3-5 years of aging potential and probably more. The fact that this wine comes from one of the most highly regarded blocks of old vine Chardonnay in the state is evident in the quality of the wine...however, the pricing that we managed to secure belies the pedigree and world-class nature of this wine. Take my word for it, this wine is one of the finest bottles of aged California Chardonnay I have experienced in many years, if not ever.

A New Year's surprise, this! Like the 2016 version, also somewhat Burgundian but, even more so. This time out, the nose of more baked golden apple than Granny Smith apple. There are also scents of roasted pine nuts, bread dough and soft lemon citrus. There is also a very slight smokiness. On the palate, quite mouth filling with generous round yellow fruits. Golden apple and pear puree. Once it settles in, like the 2013, there is a very nice mineral and citrus note. The finish lingers ay the tip and sides of the tongue with soft ginger spice. I think that I hear the magnum calling out to me.

With over a decade of gorgeous bottle age, this 2013 vintage Chardonnay from Stonestreet Winery is only *just* beginning to sing its' song of beautiful maturity - scents of warm wool and cool ocean air dance around the flinty underpinnings of the nose, leading to waves of brûléed lemon and sun-toasted white flower petals. The palate is lined with dense, richly stacked layers of primary fruit - baked golden apples fresh from the oven slowly transition to slightly tropical baking tones of pineapple upside down cake and lemon-lime custard richness. In it's age, savory mineral undercurrents of rounded river stones and brooke-side soil provide an incredibly fresh lift to the richer styled fruit, bringing this wine perfectly into its drinking window today. At a price *far* below what a wine of this pedigree would command outside of our shop, look to the Legacy collection from Stonestreet, and revel in the balance & beauty of well-aged, vintage California chardonnay!