Aubert’s 2011 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard flows across the palate with hints of butter, marzipan, spices, nectarines and dried apricots. Rich, voluptuous and creamy, the 2011 is another of the more overt wines in this range. Still, there is more than enough underlying minerality to balance the fruit. The old Wente and Montrachet clones work well here, but the vines are only 12 years old, which suggests the best is still very much in the future. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2019. Mark Aubert has a brand new tasting room that is intimate and clubby. By the time I got to Aubert, I had tasted most of the Sonoma reference points. With that as a backdrop, these wines stood out for their sheer pedigrees. This is a world-class operation in every way. Because of the late, cool year, Aubert’s 2011 Chardonnays are a bit brighter and more focused than is the norm. In other words, the wines are deeply marked by the signatures of the year. Interestingly, that is not the case with the Pinots, which are pretty much in line with the juicy, generous style Aubert fans have become accustomed to. In contrast to the Chardonnay harvest, in 2011, there were no declassified Pinot lots. One of the developments at Aubert over the last few years is an increased focus on estate vineyards. As part of that trend, readers will see several additions to the range, while Aubert has decided to discontinue his Reuling Chardonnay. Tel. (707) 963-4569