Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate weighs in on Chanin

It is always great to hear good feedback about the wines we work so hard to produce. Often this can be an email from someone who just tasted the wine in a restaurant, or a call from a friend who finally got around to drinking the bottle you gave him.

But, when one of the most renowned and influential wine publications says great things about the wines, we usually stop and listen! Please subscribe to erobertparker.com for the full report. But here are a few things Antonio Galloni had to say in August’s edition of The Wine Advocate:

“These are the first wines I have tasted from Gavin Chanin, who cut his teeth at Au Bon Climat and Qupe. I was super impressed, to say the least. Long aging on the lees, minimal racking and an otherwise light handed approach are the norm here. These striking, pure wines are all highly recommended. It will be fascinating to see where Chanin goes from here, but the future looks immensely promis…”

2008 Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay—91 Points

“The 2008 Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard flows with the essence of ripe fruit, flowers, smoke, minerals and subtle French oak. It possesses gorgeous textural depth and richness without being overdone. Clean, persistent veins of minerality frame the tight, focused finish. The wine spent 15 months on its lees in barrel (one-third new) and was bottled unfiltered. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2016.”

2008 Los Alamos Vineyard Chardonnay—90 Points

“The 2008 Chardonnay Los Alamos Vineyard shows a touch more textural depth and richness than the Bien Nacido Chardonnay but the aromatics aren’t quite as polished. Ripe pears and flowers are some of the notes that emerge on the textured, voluptuous finish. This needs time in the glass (or a quick decant) for the bouquet to find its focus. The wine spent 16 months on its lees in barrel (one-third new) with no rackings until it was bottled unfiltered. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2015.”

2008 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir—91 Points

“The 2008 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard is a very pretty, understated wine laced with sweet red cherries, tobacco, leather and licorice. This is a fine, beautifully articulated Pinot with gorgeous balance from start to finish. The delicate, somewhat feminine style suggests near-term drinking is optimal. There is no shortage of classiness in the glass. The Bien Nacido was aged in French oak barrels, one-third new. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2106.”

2009 Le Bon Climat Vineyard Pinot Noir—93 Points

“The 2009 Pinot Noir Le Bon Climat Vineyard is a gorgeous wine endowed with considerable richness in its dark red fruit. It shows striking depth, a supple mid-palate and a pure, long finish. A brief burst of heat towards the end of the growing season gives the wine a measure of fleshiness without marking it excessively. This is a beautifully balanced, harmonious Pinot with a bright future. The Bon Climat is made from organically farmed fruit. A similarly non-interventionalist approach follows in the cellar. The wine was aged in French oak (one-third new) and spent 15 months on its lees and was bottled unfiltered. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019.”