This top-notch Chardonnay possesses 4-7 years of aging potential. It was aged in approximately 50% new French oak, and bottled without fining or filtration. The quality level is impeccably brilliant. From the Sonoma Coast, the 1998 Chardonnay Charles Ranch reveals a surprisingly evolved, moderately deep gold color that suggests a rapid evolution. Unctuously-textured, it reveals a slight degree of bitterness on the back of the palate. Structured, muscular, and exotic, with a concentrated palate, it is not seamless or harmonious. Cellaring may help, but this could turn out to be a rustic, awkward effort possessing enormous weight and richness. Tel. (707) 525-0570; Fax (707) 525-9463