Ten-Year Vertical
Chardonnay Notes
In January 2001, we conducted a ten-year vertical tasting to compare the evolution of El Molino Chardonnays. Not only were we impressed by the youthfulness of the older wines, but by how they clearly improved with age. This was a unique experience, as all ten vintages were harvested from the same vines in our Rutherford vineyard. Here is a summary of the panel’s notes, and hopefully you have one or two older vintages in your cellar to enjoy. Cheers!
1999
Our newest release is a classic, youthful El Molino Chardonnay. This crisp young wine has a very fruit forward mouth and delicate floral perfume of tropical fruit on the nose. Still maintaining the dense quality of the fruit, watch for this wine to age well and develop into its maturity in the next couple of years.
1998
This wine is coming together with a lot of extraction and a delicate palate. It is opulent with overtones of pear, apples, and tropical fruit rounding out the mouth. This wine has the youthful characteristics of the 1999 but with developing complexity and depth.
1997
The Napa Valley had a great Chardonnay vintage in 1997. As expected, this vintage has altered little since its release in 1999. Expect a slow and graceful evolution over the next 5-7 years.
1996
An incredibly balanced and rich wine, the 1996 has a fabulous depth of flavor. It is starting to develop its bottle character, while still youthful, it has notes of oak, toast, yeast and tropical fruit.
1995
Now five years in the bottle, the 1995 is fully mature, displaying toast and yeast scents, and pear and melon flavors. The weighty, almost sweet ‘feel’ of the finish is telling of the 1995 vintage overall.
1994
The ‘Best Pick’ of the tasting, the 1994 was stunning. Wowing everyone with its excellent viscosity, great extraction, elegant balance and a bone dry finish. The fruit came out cleanly and crisply with an allure that made your mouth water for more. This wine should cellar excellently for years to come.
1993
Fully mature and drinking beautifully, the 1993 vintage is ready to enjoy. Honey and caramel flavors and ‘apple pie’ core fruit impression are persistent.
1992
The 1992 harvest was one of the hottest in the decade of the 1990’s. This vintage is very complex and intense, only slightly overshadowed by the amazing 1994. This stylish wine exhibited graceful fruit with a delicate balance of pear, pineapple, and melon. Fully mature, this is a rewarding wine.
1991
Surprisingly youthful fruit aroma for a ten-year-old wine, the mature flavors of caramel, honey, and toasted almonds are telling of a fully mature wine. This wine would be a perfect companion to an aged dry cheese.
1990
As the oldest wine of the tasting, it has a full ten years of bottle age. There were some bottle variations in the two bottles that we opened, one appearing more youthful than the other. The ‘better’ bottle was very viscous and tropical. Look forward to an excellent wine if your 1990 was stored properly.
