The 2007 Chardonnay Reserve presents a compelling mélange of rich, viscous texture layered with veins of freshness that make it arguably the most complete of these four Chardonnays for current drinking. Orange peel, flowers, white pepper, mint, apricot jam and truffle notes are all forward and deeply expressive. All the elements come together effortlessly in a beautifully layered Chardonnay that delivers plenty of depth with no excess heaviness. Drink 2015-2022 Issue #196 The Mount Eden 2007 Chardonnay Reserve is a strikingly beautiful, textured wine endowed with layers of rich fruit. It comes across as surprisingly tight and mineral-driven. The purity and finesse here are simply dazzling. The Reserve is fermented and aged in barrel, then goes back into tank for another 10 months until all of the lees have been absorbed. It is a fabulous Chardonnay loaded with personality and sheer class. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2027.Antonio Galloni presents Vinous
Robert Parker Jr's The Wine Advocate
Release Date: Fall 2011
This is a new wine for us, inspired by a trip I took to Burgundy in 2008. Many producers of the great White Burgundies make their Chardonnay’s with a secondary aging on the yeast sediments. Following their lead I started by selecting specific lots of our Estate Chardonnay and combing all of the wine and lees into a small tank for this secondary aging. The mystical part is that over the ten months in tank the sediments disappear–just like in Champagne, the lees become the wine.
As with our regular Estate Bottled Chardonnay this wine is profound. Aging slowly in the bottle (always a good sign) this wine has taken on extra dimension. The aromas and flavors which dominate the 2007 are enlivened by an extra dimension of viscosity from the lees.
A fascinating study in how winemaking styles can influence our terrior-driven wine.
