Here’s a ripe, juicy Chardonnay. Grown in a warm climate, it shows powerful pear jam, baked apple pie and smoky vanilla flavors, with a note of sweetened jasmine tea and a dry, spicy finish of cloves and pepper.——S.H.(10/1/2008)—— 87

Strikes a nice balance between heavily oaked and unoaked Chards by being aged in older, neutral oak. As a result, the inherently fine quality of the wine shows through with just a touch of smoke and wood. Crisp and minerally, with a flinty, gunmetal taste, the wine’s fruit flatters the palate with pineapples, pears and even tropical fruits, especially mango.——S.H.(6/1/2008)—— 91