3 | Wine | White, Napa Valley, 86 or higher

"Combines richness with elegance and finesse, offering intense, focused citrus-laced pear, honeysuckle and melon notes that expand on the lingering, flavorful finish."

"Antica’s 2011 Chardonnay is laced with lemon peel, white flowers, spices and crushed rocks. In this vintage, the estate’s Chardonnay is especially rich and powerful, largely because the irregular flowering lowered yields by 50%. This is an unusual Chardonnay that is bright in its aromas and flavors but fairly broad-shouldered in style."

"Straw yellow. Pungent aromas of pineapple, grapefruit and lime zest. Intense and savory, with excellent thrust to the citrus zest and floral flavors. Mondavi picks this fruit early (80% of it is from owned vineyards), using dry ice and SO2 to protect it from air at the pressing. Youthfully tight and very fresh. Yes, the sauvignon blancs were presented after the reserve chardonnay at my March tasting at Mondavi."

"Slate, minerals, crushed rocks and grapefruit linger on the precise, crystalline finish. This is a very Chablis-like Napa Valley Chardonnay."

"Bracing, slightly raw aromas of lemon peel, grapefruit and pepper. Then surprisingly supple following the nose, with a dense, tactile lemony flavor intensified by sound acidity. Vibrant, very dry and delicate sauvignon blanc with excellent length."-Stephen Tanzer

"All the best elements of the vintage and house style come together in HdV’s 2009 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard. The fruit is a bit richer, riper and more voluptuous than in most HdV wines, which serves to balance the cool, vibrant style the estate favors. The 2009 impresses for its length, persistence and spherical finish. This is a great showing from HdV."

"The 2011 Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch has a similar aromatic and flavor profile as the 2010 with more textural richness and oiliness because of the presence of botrytis in this vintage. I have to say, the 2011 is highly intriguing. It will be interesting to see where the wine goes over the coming years."

"Rutherford Ranch has once again turned in an impressive performance with their 2011 Chardonnay. Crisp and elegant, with attractive notes of white peaches, tropical fruits and wet stones, this medium-bodied white should be consumed over the next year." -Robert Parker

"It reveals lots of honeyed citrus, melon and fig-like fruit. Delicate yet intense with loads of fruit, medium body and a long finish, it should be drunk over the next year."-Robert Parker

"The 2010 Chardonnay is a gorgeous wine laced with expressive varietal fruit, smoke, butter, minerals and French oak. This is a fairly restrained style, yet all of the elements are in perfect balance. A long, subtle finish rounds things out very nicely."