Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

As fans know, Mark Aubert is a Chardonnay specialist and among the best producers of this variety worldwide. Since the beginning, Mark has been upfront and unwavering about his expression of Sonoma and Napa Chardonnay, delivering full-bodied, concentrated, textural wines…

2022 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2022 CIX Estate Chardonnay was tasted as a barrel sample. It comes bounding out of the glass with notes of freshly squeezed lemons, Granny Smith apples, freshly shaved ginger, and chalk dust, leading to wafts of coriander seed and white pepper. The full-bodied palate is tight-knit and racy with a chalky undercurrent to the citrus flavors, finishing long and minerally.

2022 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2022 Eastside Chardonnay was tasted as a barrel sample. Notes of chalk and crushed rocks open out to a core of ripe pears, yellow apples, and white pepper plus a hint of marzipan. The full-bodied palate has super tension with a silky texture framing the tight-knit apple and pear layers, finishing long and chalky.

2022 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2022 Larry Hyde & Sons Chardonnay, tasted as a barrel sample, rockets from the glass with intense notes of grapefruit essence, juicy white peaches, and fresh pineapple leading to touches of orange blossoms, candied ginger, and chopped cashews with a hint of honeycomb. The full-bodied palate bursts with concentrated stone and tropical fruit layers, supported by a refreshing backbone and creamy texture, leading to a lingering ginger ale note on the finish of this delicious wine.

2022 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2022 Chardonnay Lauren Estate was tasted as a barrel sample. Wow — you could just smell this all day, notes of candied orange peel, lemon tart, lime zest, pink grapefruit, and ginger tea emanate from the glass with hints of baker’s years, Marcona almonds, and crushed rocks. The full-bodied palate has beautiful tension and so much energy that it vibrates with citrus and mineral layers, finishing with long, lingering ginger and orange peel notes.

2022 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2022 Park Avenue Chardonnay, tasted as a barrel sample, wows as it wafts out with a gorgeous perfume of citron blossoms, yuzu, spiced apples, and ripe apricots, opening out to touches of nutmeg, almond croissant, and Earl Grey tea. The full-bodied palate explodes with citrus and spice fireworks, framed by a satiny texture and a racy line, finishing long and savory.

2022 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-98+ Points

The 2022 Powder House Chardonnay, tasted as a barrel sample, is a bit shy to begin, needing a little shaking to wake up notes of tarte au citron, lime cordial, peach preserves, and baking bread, plus hints of wet slate and sea spray. The full-bodied palate is tense and intense, featuring a crisp backbone to define the citrus and mineral layers, finishing on a lingering marzipan note.

2022 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2022 Sugar Shack was tasted as a barrel sample. Wow — the nose pops with citrus notes of lime cordial, lemon curd, and kumquat giving way to hints of shaved almonds, jasmine tea, and beeswax with a touch of sea spray. The full-bodied palate delivers beautiful tension and a satiny texture, with tightly wound citrus and mineral layers, finishing long and chalky.

2022 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2022 UV-SL Vineyards Chardonnay was tasted as a barrel sample. Super intense notes of lime leaves, green mango, and green apples jump from the glass with hints of wet pebbles, honeysuckle, and allspice. The full-bodied palate is so light on its feet, with vibrant citrus and mineral sparks and a lively backbone to lift the long zesty finish.

---

2022 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Deep ruby-purple in color, the 2022 CIX Estate Pinot Noir needs a swirl or two to coax out notes of kirsch, boysenberries, redcurrant jelly, and iris bulb, giving way to notions of red roses, sandalwood, clove oil, damp soil, and underbrush. The full-bodied palate is beautifully rich and opulent, with seamless freshness and velvety tannins, finishing long with loads of exotic spices hints.

2022 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple in color, the 2022 UV Pinot Noir rocks up with ready-to-go scents of black cherries, black raspberries, and mulberries, leading to suggestions of hoisin, star anise, and incense with a waft of rose oil. The full-bodied palate delivers fantastic tension, with bags of juicy black berry flavors and a beautiful, fine-grained texture, finishing long and spicy.

2022 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Deep ruby-purple in color, the 2022 UV-SL Vineyard Pinot Noir gallops out with powerful scents pf wild blueberries, fresh blackberries, and pomegranate, leading to suggestions of violets, tar, and tilled soil with a touch of garrigue. The full-bodied palate is bright, energetic, and crunchy, featuring a fantastic backbone of freshness to lift the densely laden black and red berry layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins, finishing with epic length and fabulously fragrant.

---

2021 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2021 CIX Estate Chardonnay wows with tropical fruit punch notes bursting from the nose, giving way to fragrant nuances of spice cake, candied ginger, lemongrass, and jasmine tea. The full-bodied palate shimmers with intense tropical fruit and baking spice layers, supported by a satiny texture and racy acidity, finishing long and layered.

2021 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 98 Points

The 2021 Eastside Chardonnay comes barreling out of the glass with notes of creme brulee, preserved mandarin peel, honeycomb, and pear tart, leading to a core of apple butter and crushed stones. The full-bodied palate is tight-knit and chalky, with loads of citrus and pear layers, finishing long and savory.

2021 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 100 Points

The 2021 Larry Hyde & Sons Chardonnay comes roaring out of the glass with explosive notes of lemonade, ginger ale, toasted almonds, brioche, and beeswax, plus a touch of sea spray in the background. The full-bodied palate remains so tight knit with a racy backbone and satiny texture, leading to epic length and a minerally finish to this mind-blowing wine.

2021 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

The nose on the 2021 Chardonnay Lauren Estate is so intoxicatingly powerful and gorgeous, with notes of orange blossoms, creme brulee, crystallized peel, lime cordial, and allspice, plus suggestions of acacia honey and dried persimmons. The full-bodied palate is magic – sparkling in the mouth with citrus, spice, and mineral accents, finishing with incredible length and depth.

2021 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Notes of honey-drizzled white peaches, wet pebbles, and grapefruit oil spring from the glass of the 2021 Park Avenue Chardonnay, leading to hints of Marcona almond, allspice, and brioche plus an intriguing waft of matcha. The full-bodied palate is invigorating and uplifting, with bright citrusy sparks and a racy backbone, finishing long and satin-textured.

2021 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The 2021 Powder House Chardonnay is a little closed at first, with notes of wet slate and struck flint leading to a core of ripe pears, apple sauce, and fresh ginger with wafts of cashews and candied lemon peel. The full-bodied palate is more savory, with toasty, brioche notes coming through and a crisp line of acidity, finishing long and graceful.

2021 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 99 Points

The 2021 Sugar Shack prances out with flamboyant scents of fresh pineapple, lime blossoms, yuzu, and papaya, plus touches of toasted almonds and spice cake. The full-bodied palate has amazing freshness, giving it a sense of weightlessness and revealing layer upon layer of citrus and mineral flavors, finishing long and vibrant.

2021 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Lime cordial and tarte au citron notes jump from the glass of the 2021 UV-SL Vineyards Chardonnay, leading to suggestions of underbrush, struck flint, and fresh apricots with a hint of brine. The full-bodied palate is bright, tight, and refreshing, with a steeliness to the long, layered finish.

Mark Aubert Applies a Bordeaux Mentality to Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Aubert’s trio of 2021 single-vineyard Sonoma Pinots hits all the right notes, and a tasting of library wines reveals what to expect down the road.—James Molesworth

2021 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

Delivers a deep well of fruit, with lovely inner brightness, as gently mulled raspberry, mulberry and boysenberry fruit notes form a core that has nice underlying energy. Shows light wood spice, black tea, blood orange zest and savory accents that fill in throughout, with a mouthwatering mineral edge underneath it all. Reveals a late echo of wet earth, which caps the seriously long finish. For the cellar. Best from 2024 through 2034. From California.—J.M.

2021 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Gorgeous, with an inviting core of raspberry, blood orange and boysenberry puree aromas and flavors that stream through, flanked by singed apple wood, dried anise and black tea notes. Shows serious depth but also drive and freshness, as a racy mineral edge lends energy from start to finish. Best from 2024 through 2033.—J.M.

2021 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

This has some “wow” fruit, with blackberry, black cherry and mulberry notes melded together nicely and infused liberally throughout with dark tea, blood orange zest and a sleek wet earth note. Exudes a gorgeous floral aspect as well, with hibiscus and iris notes in the background. Explosive in its range and pure in its delivery, with a pitch-perfect structure for a matrix of elements that will benefit cellaring. Best from 2024 through 2034. From California.—J.M.

---

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
The 2015 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast UV-SL Vineyard shows a beautiful array of sagebrush and sassafras, with a flash of menthol even, giving it a very open and alluring feel. The core is lush but has tension along the edges as the black cherry and blackberry fruit fans out. Black tea and mineral notes are inlaid through the finish. This seems to just be hitting its stride now at age 8.—J.M.

2011 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
The 2011 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast CIX Estate feels fully mature, with a very expressive set of sage, chaparral and herb aromas. It’s silky in feel, with graceful red cherry and blood orange coulis notes stitched with a gentle cedar threading on the finish. At age 12, and from a less noteworthy vintage, it’s showing very well.—J.M.

2005 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
The 2005 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast UV Vineyard offers up a gorgeous plume of mulled raspberry, blood orange and damson plum fruit flavors that have steeped and mulled hints. It’s super refined and silky in feel, with flashes of green tea, sagebrush and warmed wood spice throughout. And at age 18 it’s still tightly knit, too, with racy mineral drive through the finish.—J.M.

This is a tremendous set of 2021s from Mark Aubert. The Chardonnays, which I tasted from tank prior to bottling, are marvelously precise and nuanced. Every wine is so well-defined. The Pinots might be even more impressive.

As has been the case the last few years, I also tasted a few older vintages for a separate report. For now, readers who have access to Aubert Chardonnays from magnum should jump on that opportunity, as the big bottle seems to be especially well suited to these wines, especially at the ten-year-plus stage. Two thousand twenty-one is one of my favorite recent vintages at Aubert.

2021 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay CIX Estate is the wine where it all comes together.  Aromatics, fruit, structure and acidity all meld together in a seamless, layered Chardonnay that opens beautifully in the glass. Nothing sticks out, instead the CIX Chardonnay, like the Pinot, is endowed with mind-blowing finesse. It is a super-classic wine from Mark Aubert. Magnificent.

2021 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 95-97 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard marries textural richness and vibrancy in grand style. There’s terrific energy here, the result of poor, stressed soils that naturally limit yields. Bright acids and veins of minerality drive this focused Chardonnay. Citrus, orchard fruit, ginger and light tropical accents build into the intensely saline finish. Superb.

2021 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 93-95 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard is creamy, ample and wonderfully expressive. Lemon confit, mint, white pepper, candied ginger, orchard fruit and a kiss of new French oak all meld together. Bright acids lend vibrancy and nuance throughout. Give this a few years to come together.

2021 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Lauren is a rich, phenolic wine. Readers will have to be patient, as the Lauren is packed with fruit and structure. Orchard fruit, chamomile, dried flowers, mint, sage and dried pear build into the rich, palate-staining finish. The Lauren has a textural intensity that makes it feel almost like a red wine. Historically, the Lauren has been one of the best agers here.

2021 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95-97 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Park Avenue possesses tremendous textural richness and breadth, with plenty of orange peel, spice and tropical notes. Readers who like opulent Chardonnays will adore the Park Avenue. It’s an exquisite wine in every way.

2021 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94-96 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Powder House is elegant, polished and also a touch reticent. That won’t be an issue in time… Strong mineral accents are front and center, while the fruit feels pushed into the background. Mark Aubert’s Chardonnays have historically aged quite well. I expect that will be the case here as well.

2021 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 94-96 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Sugar Shack is a classic Mark Aubert wine. Creamy and ample in feel, the 2021 is super-expressive right out of the gate. Soft, silky contours frame lemon confit, white flowers, tangerine oil and lightly honeyed overtones that appear with aeration. All the elements are so well balanced. The Sugar Shack is one of the more immediate wines in this range and will drink well pretty much upon release.

2021 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95-97 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is one of the more exotic wines in the range. Initially a bit ethereal, the 2021 opens beautifully on the mid-palate and finish, where it shows tremendous breadth and notable mineral intensity. The UV-SL is not quite as obvious as some of the other wines in this range, but its pedigree is evident. There’s real density here, and tons of class.

---

2021 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The 2021 Pinot Noir CIX Estate is fabulous. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2021 possesses striking inner perfume and brilliant fruit. Sweet red cherry, plum, spice and pomegranate build into the heady, sumptuous finish. What a wine.

2021 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2021 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is bright, punchy and super-expressive. Bright red/plum, blood orange, rose petal, lavender, spice and strong floral/savory accents add nuance throughout. The 2021 is an absolute joy to taste. The UV was done with entirely destemmed fruit, but its aromatic profile offers quite a bit of whole cluster-like character.

2021 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2021 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the darkest and most potent of the Pinots. It offers up copious dark cherry, plum, mocha, new leather and licorice. The 2021 possesses tremendous breadth and resonance. There’s plenty of power, but also the vibrancy that is increasingly a signature here.

Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

My tasting with Mark Aubert was one of the most anticipated visits of my first year reviewing Napa wines for Robert Parker Wine Advocate. Having read years of previous reviews—and sampling the occasional bottle along the way—I had high expectations for the wines.

The Aubert Chardonnays are big, flavorful wines, dominated in their youth by ripe fruit flavors and balanced acidities—despite being aged in as much as 75% new French oak—wines that epitomize their West Coast origins. Personified, they’re the All-American, stereotypical California pinup on the surface, yet they have sufficient depth and complexity to get into Ivy League colleges and acquire layers of greater richness and discretion with age. Even if you don’t think that’s your type, there’s virtually no denying the matinee-idol-meets-deep-thinker appeal these wines possess.

2021 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-98 Points

There’s just a hint of fumé character, those smoky, mocha notes accenting ripe peaches and bright lime pith. It’s characteristically full-bodied, generous, creamy and lush, yet with enough acidity to keep it clean and fresh on the finish.

2021 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 95-97 Points

Despite plenty of new French oak in the élevage, there’s only a faintly fumé, crushed-stone character on the nose, which nicely sets off the wine’s white peach and lime notes. Full-bodied and generous but sturdily built, with an imposing structure, the 2021 Chardonnay Eastside is powerful and long on the finish.

2021 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 94-96 Points

The coolest of Aubert’s Chardonnay sites, the 2021 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons boasts lovely aromas reminiscent of melon, citrus curd and lime zest. It’s full-bodied and creamy, with a silky, custardy mouthfeel and tremendous length.

2021 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2021 Lauren exudes power yet remains balanced. Hints of pencil shavings mark the nose, joined by effusive notes of lime and white peach, while the palate is full-bodied, rich and slightly oily in feel. Despite a sense of massive density, it remains fresh and lively, with great length and energy on the finish. It’s the crowning achievement among a stellar collection of 2021s from Aubert.

2021 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94-96 Points

There are attractive, intense notes of lime blossom, white peach, and citrus zest. Full-bodied, rich and round, it’s bright, zesty and long on the finish.

2021 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95-97 Points

Floral, non-fruity hints of crushed stone and talcum powder appear on the nose of Aubert’s 2021 Chardonnay Powder House, creating an attractive counterpoint to the wine’s honeyed richness and intense white-peach notes. Full-bodied and silky in feel, it’s a bit custardy in texture yet lithe, graceful and long, with an almost mentholated finish.

2021 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 93-95 Points

The 2021 Sugar Shack offers up attractive aromas of toasted hazelnuts and ripe peaches. Big, broad and fleshy in the mouth, it turns a bit angular on the finish, providing a bright, fresh counterpoint to the earlier opulence.

2021 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-98 Points

There are 2,000 cases of this elixir, which offers up classic notes of toasted hazelnuts, white peaches and citrus zest. It’s full-bodied, rich and opulent yet contained and controlled, with great silky length and energy. Aubert describes the oak thusly: “The oak is perfect. It just kisses you with a bit of vanilla and cookie dough.” The wine is certainly delicious, and thinking back on it, I wonder if my rating is a bit conservative.

---

2021 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95+ Points

Raspberry fruit predominates, accented by attractive sous-bois complexity in this bright, spicy effort. Medium-bodied, silky and crisp, it finishes long and softly dusty, with great length.

2021 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94+ Points

The 2021 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard features bold notes of cherries, cinnamon and wood spice. It’s medium to full-bodied and silky across the mid-palate, finishing long and softly tannic. Nicely balanced and structured, it should age well for more than a decade.

2021 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96+ Points

The 2021 Pinot Noir UV-SL kicks off with notes of alpine strawberries and lovely, almost garrigue-like notions. It’s delicate yet also the most generous and full-bodied of the three Pinot Noirs, with voluminous, silky tannins and terrific length and elegance married to a tense, wiry structure and intense fruit. Wow.

---

2020 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Another terrific year for this bottling, the 2020 Chardonnay CIX Estate is lightly toasty, then tropical, with yellow peach, possibly even mango notes, balanced by bright, lime-like acids. It’s full-bodied, creamy and rich, yet not heavy at all, with great energy and lift on the finish.

2020 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96 Points

The 2020 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons bursts with aromas of ripe, honeyed melon, balanced by bright lime notes. Full-bodied, creamy and lush on the palate, this is just a pleasure to drink, finishing long and zesty.

2020 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Hints of pencil shavings that accent white peach and pineapple—there’s tremendous fruit intensity here. Full-bodied and powerful, this blend of four heirloom selections remains exceptionally zesty, clean and fresh, with great length seamlessly allied to considerable richness. For now, I give a slight nod to the 2021 vintage, but this is a similarly terrific wine.

2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

Aubert’s 2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue is a lush, full-bodied effort loaded with ripe-tasting stone fruit, set against a backdrop of white nectarine and fresh lime juice. Plump and creamy in the mouth, expansive and generous, it finishes with a savory hint of mocha. Sandwiched between Lauren and CIX, it’s a parcel that should yield even greater wines as the vines age.

2020 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94 Points

Aubert’s 2020 Chardonnay Powder House comes across as a bit more crisp, focused and linear than many of the other wines here. Melon, yellow plum and lime notes appear upon the nose, while the full-bodied palate is concentrated, fresh and zesty. It’s an excellent wine…

2020 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 95 Points

The 2020 Chardonnay Sugar Shack features intense scents of lime zest, honey and yellow peaches. Full-bodied, rich and ripe, it tightens up on the finish, adding more bright, refreshing citrus notes.

2020 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94 Points

Pronounced notes of crushed stone framing lime zest and white peaches. Full-bodied yet zesty, clean and refreshing, it’s a laser beam of bright fruit, seemingly without the typical Aubert fleshy curvaceousness.

The recent releases of Aubert lead the pack in this week’s tasting report with some fantastic chardonnays and pinot noirs.

2021 Chardonnay CIX Estate Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

This has such gorgeous fruit character with dried lemon, pie crust, crushed stone, and hints of sea weed. Spicy, like sea salt. Persistent finish. Drink or hold.

2021 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97 Points

This shows a seductive oily texture with pineapple, lime, lemon, cooked apple, and a little brioche. Some green mango. Lots of minerality. Full-bodied. Layered with amazing acidity. A very contrasting wine with richness and liveliness. Drink or hold.

2021 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

Yellow green color. A full-bodied and plush chardonnay with nougat, lemon, lime, hints of chalk. Ginger. Touch of raw pie crust. Vivid finish. Drink or hold.

2021 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Salty, lemon rind, lemon curd, stone, and blackboard chalk. Full-bodied. Tight, layered and really fine. Extremely long and compressed. Wonderful sophistication. Drink or hold.

2021 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Aromas of citrus, apple skin, grape skin, vanilla, and brioche. Full-bodied with an oiliness and acidity that runs so long. Sort of rock and roll here. Tight on the finish. Flinty. Needs time to open. Better after 2023 to 2024.

2021 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Love the aromas of lemon-lime, gunpowder, kiwi, and dried lemons. It’s full, phenolic and solid. This is like red wine in structure. Long and persistent. One for the cellar. Give this some time. Best after 2025.

2021 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Napa Valley
Score: 98 Points

So much gunpowder to the lemon rind and cooked apple aromas. Goes flinty. Lemon curd. Some sliced pineapple. Full-bodied with a compacted palate and a glossy texture to it. Very, very creamy. Honey. Candied lemon. Oily, but then goes fresh and zesty. Drinkable now, but will age beautifully.

2021 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

Pie crust with brioche, lemon meringue, lime leaf, and blackboard chalk. Very aromatic. Full-bodied, with terrific structure and incredibly complex on the finish with seaweed and umami. Sea breeze, iodine and oyster finish. Superb wine. Drink or hold.

---

2021 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Very dark fruit here with blackberries, blueberries, salt, mineral, and dark earth. Tile. Full-bodied, with tight and polished tannins. Super depth and structure. Great wine. One for the cellar. Better after 2025.

2021 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Very intense blue fruits with blackberries and hints of licorice. Flowers, too. Some pepper. Full-bodied with lots of bark, mushroom and forest floor. Creamy and polished tannins. Drink or hold.

2021 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

This is so open with black cherry aromas jumping out of the glass with orange peel coming out. Black ink. Iodine. Oyster shell. Asian plum sauce. Mille-feuille. Medium to full body. Compacted palate with layers of fine tannins.

---

2020 Chardonnay CIX Estate Sonoma Coast
Score: 94 Points

A tight and fresh white with sliced pear and apple. Light cream and cooked apple. Medium body. Crisp acidity and a subtle finish. Drink now.

2020 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96 Points

A big and juicy white with cooked apple, pear, honey, and mineral. Flint. Full and layered with a flavorful and delicious finish. Drink now.

2020 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

Linear and very structured with very fine and structured tannins that give this wine tension and focus. Medium body. Hints of stone and pear. Medium finish. Drink now.

2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Sonoma Coast
Score: 94 Points

A tight and linear chardonnay with dried apples, lemons, honey, sea salt, and white pepper. Medium body. Solid and beautiful. Candied lemons. Drink now.

2020 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

A linear and very fine white with lemon pie, nougat, almond, and flint. Medium-bodied, refined and beautiful. Dried lemon and hints of honey. Pretty and delicious. Drink now or hold.

2020 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Napa Valley
Score: 95 Points

A solid and full-bodied wine with dried apple, pineapple, lemon rind, Full-bodied, layered and beautiful. Delicious finish. Drink now.

2020 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

A spicy and salty white with cooked apple and honey character. Light vanilla and pie crust. Medium to full body. Flavorful and very long, Excellent intensity and focus. White pepper and fruit at the end. Drink or hold.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent

One of a handful of the USA’s greatest Chardonnay producers and right up there with the top Chardonnay estates in the world, Aubert knocks it out of the park again with their latest line-up of 2020 and 2021 releases…I found the newly bottled 2021 Pinot Noirs to be the finest Aubert has produced.

2021 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay CIX Estate was tasted as a tank sample, due to be bottled in December 2022. It swans out of the glass with notions of ripe apricots, juicy pears, and quince paste, plus suggestions of grapefruit oil, lemongrass, and toasted almonds with a touch of beeswax. Full-bodied, rich, vibrant, multi-layered, and flawless, the palate is a seamless, complex, creamy powerhouse that is impossible to put down. The finish goes on forever.

2021 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Eastside was tasted as a tank sample, due to be bottled in December 2022. It comes barreling out with bold notes of fresh peaches, lime cordial, and orange blossom with touches of crushed rocks, toasted almonds, and honeysuckle. The full-bodied palate delivers compelling tension with taut, tightly knit layers, culminating in a wonderfully exotic, pineapple and guava-laced finish.

2021 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons was tasted as a tank sample, due to be bottled in December 2022. It springs from the glass with electric scents of lemon and grapefruit juices, leading to suggestions of fresh ginger, crushed stones, and brine. The full-bodied palate delivers beautiful seamlessness, with a silken texture and wonderful lift on the long, long finish.

2021 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Lauren Estate, tasted as a tank sample due to be bottled in December 2022, was made with 100% new oak – though it doesn’t show. It prances out with showy scents of ginger tea, lemon meringue pie, grapefruit oil, and sassafras with touches of allspice and sea spray plus a hint of jasmine. Full-bodied, rich, opulent, and spicy / savory, it has an amazingly satiny texture with electric tension and incredible length. So thick and yet so ethereal, this is a jaw-dropper.

2021 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Park Avenue was tasted as a tank sample, due to be bottled in December 2022. It skips out of the glass with bright, cheery notes of ginger ale, sassafras, lemon curd, coriander seed, and crystallized orange peel with a hint of white pepper. The full-bodied palate is satiny smooth with layers of citrus and stone fruits, supported by a lively backbone, finishing long and minerally.

2021 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-98+ Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Powder House was tasted as a tank sample, due to be bottled in December 2022. It soars out of the glass with a gorgeous perfume of peach cobbler, apple blossoms, and honeydew melon, leading to suggestions of persimmons, quince, spice cake, and almond croissant with a waft of honeycomb. Full-bodied, the palate is so fragrant and graceful, with a fantastic seamlessness and silken texture, leading to amazing length and depth on the finish of this gorgeous wine.

2021 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay Sugar Shack was tasted as a tank sample, due to be bottled in December 2022. It rolls effortlessly out of the glass with alluring notes of juicy nectarines, honeydew melon, and lemon pastilles, plus wafts of sassafras and marzipan. Full-bodied, the flavors build in the mouth, stacking layers of citrus, melon, and spices, finishing opulent.

2021 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2021 Chardonnay UV-SL was tasted as a tank sample, due to be bottled in December 2022. It opens with compelling struck flint and wet slate wafts before going full-throttle with grapefruit, green mango, and pineapple scents, leading to suggestions of lime and yuzu zest. The full-bodied palate is powerful, muscular, and dense with a creamy texture and a fantastically long honey and hazelnut-laced finish.

2021 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The 2021 Pinot Noir CIX Estate was bottled in mid-July 2022. Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, it slowly unfurls to offer glimpses at cracked black pepper, Ceylon tea, garrigue, and mossy tree bark with a core of pomegranate, fresh blackberries, and kirsch. Full-bodied, taut, and muscular, it has a nice graininess to the tannins and seamless freshness supporting the earth-laced red and black fruit layers, finishing long and lifted.

2021 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2021 Pinot Noir UV was bottled in mid-July 2022. Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, it comes bounding out with youthful scents of black cherries, black raspberries, and wild strawberries, plus suggestions of violets, chocolate mint, wild sage, and fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate is fantastically light on its feet, with beautiful freshness and ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and savory.

2021 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2021 Pinot Noir UV-SL was bottled in mid-July 2022. Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, it storms out of the glass with powerful notes of mulberries, black cherry compote, and wild blueberries with hints of raspberry leaves, crushed stones, and underbrush plus a hint of cardamom. Full-bodied, concentrated, and seductive, with beautifully velvety tannins and a lively backbone, it finishes long, with loads of floral notes coming through.

2020 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2020 Chardonnay CIX Estate comes bounding out of the glass with youthful notes of fresh lemons and lime, grapefruit oil, and chalk dust, with wafts of paraffin wax, lily of the valley, and wet pebbles. The palate is full-on full-bodied and fantastically textured, with viscous ripples of flavor and seamless acidity, finishing with a lingering spicy kick.

2020 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

The 2020 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons bursts form the glass with notes of lemongrass and ginger tea, orange blossoms, and lime cordial with wafts of yuzu and struck flint. The full-bodied palate shimmers with energy, framed by a racy backbone and creamy texture, finishing with epic length and a whole firework display of citrus sparks.

2020 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

The nose on the 2020 Chardonnay Lauren Estate starts off with a beautiful briny / sea spray character, leading to intense grapefruit oil, lemonade, and ginger tea scents, plus wafts of lime leaves, ginger ale, and crushed stones. The full-bodied palate delivers fantastic tension with a lively backbone cutting through super-intense, tightly wound citrus and stone layers, finishing long and so, so fragrant.

2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue comes galloping out of the glass with energetic notes of mandarin peel, Golden Delicious apples, honeysuckle, and toasted almonds, plus suggestions of lime zest, powdered ginger, and wet slate. The full-bodied palate delivers a rock-solid structure of racy acidity and creamy texture, supporting the muscular layers of citrus and spice flavors, finishing with incredible length and depth.

2020 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2020 Chardonnay Powder House rockets out with powerful notes of key lime pie, jasmine tea, and candied orange peel, plus notes of oyster shell, nutmeg, fresh ginger, and citron blossom. The full-bodied palate is viscous and opulent with layer upon layer of citrus and savory flavors, lifted by a refreshing backbone, finishing long with loads of mineral nuances.

2020 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97 Points

The 2020 Chardonnay Sugar Shack strolls out of the glass with confident notes of apple pie, peach cobbler, fresh Bosc pears, and allspice with touches of limes leaves and green mango, plus a hint of marzipan. The full-bodied palate delivers loads of apple and pear layers with spicy accents and soft acidity, finishing soft, satiny, and decadent.

2020 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98+ Points

The 2020 Chardonnay UV-SL charges out of the gate with vibrant notes of grapefruit, lemon tart, and coriander seed, leading to wafts of struck flint, sea spray, yuzu zest, and peach blossom. Full-bodied, rich, and densely laden in the mouth with lemon and lime oil layers, it has just enough freshness and a pleasant suggestion of oiliness to the texture, finishing long and lifted.

Mark Aubert showed me a set of stunning 2011 Chardonnays during our most recent tasting, all from magnum. Over the years, I have learned that the Aubert Chardonnays start to show their best with at least a few years in bottle, and they age spectacularly well in magnum. This tasting only reinforced those views. If you are on the Aubert list, do yourself a favor and sign up for magnums. Drinking these wines from the big bottle is one of the great experiences in wine!

2011 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

The highlight in this range from Aubert, the 2011 Chardonnay CIX Estate is fabulous. Bright and focused, the 2011 remains wonderfully fresh and vibrant for a wine of its age. The magnum format surely helps, but wow, what a wine! Lemon peel, crushed rocks, mint, white flowers and white pepper lend tons of brilliance. Readers who are cellaring the 2011 should be thrilled. This is another stunning wine from Mark and Teresa Aubert.

2011 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

The 2011 Chardonnay Lauren comes across as shockingly young. The aromas and flavors are those of a wine with some age, but on the palate it is incredibly tight. The 2011 needs quite a bit of time to be at its best, and to release all of its aromatic intensity. As always, the Lauren has a textural dynamism that is incredible distinctive. Tasted from magnum it is fabulous.

2011 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

The 2011 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is laced wit hints of dried pear, orange peel, mint, spice, ginger and caramel. The Ritchie appears to be a bit more forward than the other 2011 Chardonnays in this tasting, but has tremendous richness and the viscosity that is such an Aubert signature. Tasted from magnum.

2011 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Tasted from magnum, the 2011 Chardonnay UV-SL is gorgeous. Tangerine oil, mint, dried flowers, dried herbs and chamomile lend striking aromatic and flavor complexity to this oily, luscious Chardonnay. This is a remarkable showing from vines that were just six years old at the time. The 2011 is a wine to drink now and over the next few years.

Single-Vineyard Star

Mark Aubert draws on key appellations in Sonoma and Napa to make his single-vineyard Chardonnays, all of which (there are currently nine in the lineup) usually earn outstanding scores and rank among California’s best. His most recent vintage, 2019, is among his most successful to date, led by the stupendous 97-point Eastside cuvée from the Russian River Valley (one of two Aubert wines in the Hot Wines section). It was joined by four other classic-rated wines, including a notable first release from the Park Avenue vineyard… It is also near other top sites, such as Lauren, CIX and Powder House, and features a terroir rich with the Goldridge loams that are key to growing Sonoma’s best grapes.

His other top Sonoma bottling is the UV-SL Vineyard, which lies in the western part of the county on a ridgetop near the village of Occidental. His Napa wines come from two of the leading sites in the cool-climate Carneros district: Hudson and Hyde, while the Sugar Shack hails from Rutherford in mid-Napa Valley. Aubert, a Napa Valley native, built his cellar in Calistoga, and his well-honed winemaking skills there were amplified by nearly ideal climatic conditions for Chardonnay in 2019, which featured mostly mild temperatures with few heat spikes during a long growing season.—Kim Marcus

2019 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Powerful and refined, this glides across the palate with concentrated dried apple and pear flavors that show hints of citrus, backed by fresh acidity and almost tannic nuances. The finish unfurls with creamy lushness, minerality and rich, toasty accents. Drink now through 2026. —K.M.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97

This sings with rich toastiness to the ripe, juicy and powerfully structured white fruit and cooking spice flavors that are backed by firm acidity. Buttery midpalate, with a glistening finish that shows accents of dried tropical fruits. Drink now through 2028. —K.M.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 94

There’s unctuous minerality and savoriness to the baked apple and dried pear flavors that are lacy and well-spiced, with toasty and buttery accents on the broad-textured finish. Elegant and complex. Drink now through 2026. —K.M.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96

Rich and powerful, with refined minerality to the creamy mix of Fuji apple and Asian pear flavors. Shows accents of dried mint and sage on the plush finish, with hints of lemon zest and buttery nuances. —K.M.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94

Rich acidity supports the focused flavors of Fuji apple, Asian pear and citrus that are vibrant and well-focused. Accents of dried sage midpalate lead to a mineral-infused finish that shows buttery hints. Best from 2022 through 2027. —K.M.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Powerfully fresh, with hints of brioche to the rich white fruit and spice flavors that are packed with rich acidity. Creamy midpalate, with a long, mineral-filled finish that shows accents of sage and hints of anise. Best from 2022 through 2027. —K.M.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94

Rich and well-defined apple pastry and dried apricot flavors show notes of tangerine, with hints of toasted coconut. The luscious and well-spiced finish has creamy accents. Drink now through 2026. —K.M.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 93

Minerally, fresh and well-spiced, with plenty of toasty notes to the luscious mix of dried apple and glazed pear flavors. Shows hints of dried tarragon on the savory finish. Drink now through 2025. —K.M.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

Elegant and well-structured, this is filled with fresh acidity backing the lithe white fruit and spice flavors. There’s creamy richness midpalate, with a long, caressing finish that shows accents of ginger and dried tropical fruits. Drink now through 2027. —K.M.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

California has maybe half a dozen of consistently extraordinary Chardonnay producers. That is to say, winemakers of this grape that stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world. Winemakers that do not make Chardonnay come to them but go where Chardonnay needs to grow, disregarding impracticalities. Those that year-on-year make your jaw drop with awe, no matter how challenging the vintage. Those that understand that great California Chardonnay and great White Burgundy are not the same, nor should they be. Visionaries that do not forge Chardonnays to follow trends, but have a no-compromise, “build it and they will come” attitude.

Mark Aubert is there.

The 2018 and 2019 growing seasons in Napa and Sonoma were not so dissimilar. Accordingly, the potential for quality in both years was high, providing that yields were kept in check in 2018. The personalities of the Aubert Chardonnays from these two vintages are, however, strikingly different. These 2018s are tightly coiled wines that possess great tension and are poised to burst with tons of energy. They should have fantastic aging potential, with layers of mineral, preserved citrus peel and savory nuances to be revealed after around four to six years in bottle. 2019 is all about opulence and flamboyance, packed with upfront hedonic fruit—much more in the classic Aubert style (which is probably why Mark slightly prefers this vintage). These gregarious show-stoppers will not disappoint followers of this estate, even if broached within a year or two after bottling and as avid collectors are waiting patiently for the 2018s to come ‘round.

2019 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-98 Points

A tank sample, the 2019 Chardonnay CIX Estate comes bounding out of the glass with grapefruit, green mango and orange peel notes backed up by wafts of talc, chopped nuts and a lifted, aromatic, floral perfume. It is full-bodied and intensely flavored in the mouth with a lively backbone cutting through the taut, dense citrus and tropical fruit flavors, finishing long and fragrant.

2019 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 96-98 Points

A tank sample, the 2019 Chardonnay Eastside sails out of the glass with zesty citrus scents of lemons, kaffir lime leaves and mandarin peel with an underlying jasmine perfume and a waft of blanched almonds. The palate is tightly wound and very finely knit, delivering loads of nuanced layers and a crisp backbone, finishing long and steely.

2019 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2019 Chardonnay Hudson (a tank sample) delivers a full-on exotic nose of tropical fruits, pineapple upside-down cake, beeswax and spiced pears with an undercurrent of cashews and brioche plus a touch of yuzu zest. Full-bodied, the palate is satisfyingly savory and multilayered, with tons of mineral sparks accenting the opulent fruit, and the long, decadent finish is beautifully offset by racy freshness.

2019 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97-100 Points

Whoa—the 2019 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons explodes from the glass with bombastic scents of sea spray, freshly shaved ginger, lemon curd and grapefruit plus emerging hints of green guava, lime cordial and coriander seed with a waft of struck flint. Full-bodied, rich and lively, the palate is remarkably fruity and yet possesses loads of mineral sparks and savory nuances, finishing very long and spicy. This vintage no doubt played to the strengths of this site beautifully in 2019, delivering a very impressive wine of amazing singularity and intensity.

2019 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2019 Chardonnay Lauren Estate (a tank sample) was fermented and aged in 100% new French oak. Unlike the other 2019 Aubert Chardonnays, this one needs a little swirling and coaxing to reveal the youthfully mute nuances of sea spray, crushed cashews, beeswax and allspice over a core of fresh pineapple, passion fruit, lemon meringue pie and toast. The full-bodied palate delivers the most gorgeous silken texture with tons of opulent spice-laced tropical fruit flavors and a refreshing line, finishing with incredible length and energy. Singularly stunning.

2019 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

A tank sample, the 2019 Chardonnay Park Avenue leaps out of the glass with provocative notes of white peaches, fresh pears, lemon curd and chalk dust plus spicy hints of coriander seed, nutmeg and white pepper. The full-bodied palate is super intense with wonderful tension and lots of mineral accents to the concentrated flavors, finishing with epic length and long-lingering spicy kick.

2019 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2019 Chardonnay Powder House prances out of the glass with showy scents of fresh nectarines, pink grapefruit, lime leaves and preserved lemons plus hints of struck flint and wet pebbles. The full-bodied palate possesses an almost electric intensity with bags of nervy citrusy flavors and a very lively backbone, finishing with great length and oodles of minerals. This should age fantastically!

2019 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 96-98+ Points

A tank sample, the 2019 Chardonnay Sugar Shack has a fabulously flamboyant nose of juicy Bosc pears, ripe apricots and ginger cake with hints of orange blossoms, crème caramel and toasted almonds. The palate is concentrated, full-bodied and beautifully textured with loads of stone fruit and spice layers, finishing long with a chalkiness coming through on the finish.

2019 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-98 Points

A tank sample, the 2019 Chardonnay UV-SL opens with compelling floral notes—honeysuckle and lime blossoms—over a core of red apples, green guava and honeydew melon with underlying suggestions of baking bread, allspice and marzipan. The full-bodied palate has a pleasant hint of phenolic grip to the texture with seamless acidity supporting the densely laden apple and tropical fruit flavors, finishing long and yeasty/toasty.

2019 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2019 Pinot Noir CIX Estate sails out of the glass with Morello cherries, raspberry preserves and rhubarb notes leading to a very earthy undercurrent of mossy tree bark, forest floor and truffles plus an emerging hint of wild blueberries. Full-bodied, rich, plush and dangerously decadent in the mouth, the palate delivers loads of cerebral layers with a very long cinnamon and spice-laced finish.

2019 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96+ Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the nose is wonderfully perfumed, featuring notes of red roses, underbrush, wild sage and menthol over a core of pomegranate, black raspberries and wild strawberries. The palate is softly textured and beautifully balanced with full-bodied, generous fruit and just enough freshness, finishing long with a red berry lift.

2019 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96+ Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, it starts out with beguiling scent notions of crushed rocks, tilled soil, truffles and garrigue over a core of kirsch, red currant jelly and black raspberries before giving way to a spicy, fragrant perfume of cardamom, Provence herbs and lavender. The full-bodied palate is super intense and fantastically layered, offering a rock-solid backbone of racy freshness and firm, fine-grained tannins. It finishes on a persistent earthy/ferrous note.

2018 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2018 Chardonnay CIX Estate is wonderfully intense, exploding from the glass with lime cordial, apricot and mandarin peel scents of citrus, followed by suggestions of jasmine, honey toast and marzipan with a touch of coriander seed. The full-bodied palate is jam-packed with expressive citrus and stone fruit layers, framed by an electric line of freshness and finishing long with amazing purity and precision.

2018 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97 Points

The 2018 Chardonnay Eastside leaps from the glass with exuberant scents of grapefruit, lemon meringue, fresh lime juice and white blossoms, followed by hints of oyster shell, blanched almonds and white pepper plus a waft of nutmeg. The full-bodied palate is very finely knit, exuding finesse and possessing bags of vivacity and freshness, finishing long with enticing nut and spice box notes.

2018 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

The nose is redolent of butterscotch, baked apples, spice cake and chopped cashews with a core of baked pineapples and preserved lemons. The rich, full-bodied, decadently fruited palate offers layer upon layer of savory flavors with compelling lemony sparks and a seamless acid backbone, finishing seductively creamy and on a long-lingering honey-nut note.

2018 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 98 Points

The 2018 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons strides confidently out of the glass with a very serious nose of baked apples, pear tart, almond croissant and candied ginger with wafts of struck flint and sea spray. The full-bodied palate is impactful and yet achingly elegant, featuring loads of mineral sparks coming off the apple and pear flavors, delivering a long, satisfying, almond-laced finish. Give it a further year or two in bottle and drink it over the next 10 years.

2018 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

The 2018 Chardonnay Lauren Estate comes barreling out of the glass with a knock-out nose of juicy nectarines, ripe Bosc pears and honeydew melon, backed up by nuances of butterscotch, crystalized ginger, pie crust and honeycomb. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and so, so seductive, the palate is as opulent as it is impeccably poised, finishing with epic length and depth.

2018 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2018 Chardonnay Powder House bursts with tantalizing notions of peaches and cream, orange sherbet and lemon pastilles giving way to a grounded, serious core of Bosc pears, beeswax and baking bread. Full-bodied with a gorgeous creaminess to the texture, it delivers loads of citrus sparks among the stone fruit background with a lively backbone and very long finish.

2018 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97 Points

The 2018 Chardonnay Sugar Shack starts off a little closed at this youthful stage, soon unfurling to reveal notions of peach cobbler and pink grapefruit with an undercurrent of allspice, powdered ginger and chalk dust. The palate comes through with a powerful wall of concentrated stone fruit and baking spice flavors, supported by just enough freshness to lend balance and lift, finishing long and decadently toasty.

2018 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2018 Chardonnay UV-SL springs from the glass with wonderfully intense notes of candied orange peel, pink grapefruit and white peaches with suggestions of crème caramel and spice cake plus compelling sparks of yuzu zest and wet pebbles. The full-bodied palate is remarkably elegant with a gorgeous satiny texture and fantastic tension delivering a very long, energetic finish.

2007 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Bright, lemon-gold in color with a pale green rim, the 2007 Chardonnay Lauren Estate delivers earthy/stony notes of crushed rocks and damp soil to begin, giving way to provocative apricot preserves, pear tart and almond croissant notes with hints of acacia honey, struck flint and woodsmoke. Concentrated with a lovely oiliness to the texture, the full-on, full-bodied palate is bold and spicy, delivering a refreshing lift on the long, multilayered finish. I love, love, love Aubert’s Chardonnays when they are young, but this is absolutely why collectors should try and hold some back for a few years: it’s so crazy good!

This wine was tasted from magnum, sourced directly from Aubert’s library cellar.

2007 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Bright, lemon-gold in color with a slightly green tinge at the rim, the 2007 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard has a glorious nutty, baked peaches and dried apricot-scented nose with hints of lemon butter and cinnamon toast plus a waft of fresh hay. It has a savory-laced, full-bodied palate, completely coating the mouth with lemon curd and nutty/toasty notes, finishing on a persistent minerally note.

This wine was tasted from magnum, sourced directly from Aubert’s library cellar.

2005 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Bright, lemon-gold colored with a faint green tinge at the rim, the 2005 Chardonnay Lauren Estate is just a little closed to begin, soon blossoming into a spectacular array of key lime pie, preserved mandarin peel and lemongrass notes followed by nuances of straw broom, toasted almonds and wet pebbles. The full-bodied palate is characteristically rich and seductive with loads of zesty sparks and a very long, savory finish. The lesson here is that a decant before serving could well help this cellar-worthy beauty emerge from its slumber.

This wine was tasted from magnum, sourced directly from Aubert’s library cellar.

2005 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2005 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard has a bright, lemon-gold color with a slightly green tinge at the rim. The nose is beautifully perfumed, featuring jasmine and honeysuckle notes over a core of apple pie, poached pears and chalk dust with hints of praline and croissant. The palate is rich, decadently oily with tons of seductive apple and spice layers and a racy line, finishing very long and complex. Aging at a glacial pace, this Chardonnay still has a good decade of cellaring left at least!

This wine was tasted from magnum, sourced directly from Aubert’s library cellar.

Mark Aubert’s 2019s are fabulous. The wines clearly benefit from a stable growing season that saw less heat than 2018, especially towards the end of the season. The Chardonnays are now so consistent that choosing among them really comes down to a matter of personal preference. The biggest change here is that the Pinots have moved away from the inky, bombastic style of the past towards an approach that emphasizes greater freshness and energy. There is still plenty of depth to the wines, but the 2019s have a level of detail I have not seen here before. I tasted the Chardonnays from tank just prior to bottling and the Pinots in bottle. Readers will note the introduction of a new wine, the Park Avenue Chardonnay, which emerges from a 12-acre parcel adjacent to Lauren that was planted six years ago.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94 – 96

The 2019 Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is powerful, explosive and also very phenolic in feel. There is real density in the CIX. Lemon oil, marzipan, white flowers, ripe pear and mint are all beautifully delineated. The CIX is deep but also wonderfully transparent. The cool growing season yielded a Chardonnay of remarkable finesse. This site was the last to be picked.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 98 – 100

The 2019 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard is deep, powerful and packed. Lemon confit, crushed rocks, menthol, graphite, chamomile and vanillin infuse the 2019 with striking layers of dimension. Bright acids give the sculpted finish tremendous persistence.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96 – 98

The 2019 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is a total knock-out. Ripe pear, white flowers, mint and apple tart are all beautifully lifted. Rich in texture, yet light on its feet, the Hudson is unbelievably beautiful and vivid in the glass. In a word: stunning.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 94 – 96

The 2019 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons is very delicate in this vintage. Apricot, lemon confit tangerine oil, butter, mint and spice are all finely knit in a racy, understated Chardonnay that hits so many high notes. The purity of the flavors is just striking.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 – 98

The 2019 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is a blend of clones. That combination produces a wine of uncommon elegance. Texturally alone, the Lauren is so distinctive. Pear, lemon confit, chamomile, marzipan and dried flowers all grace the Lauren, a wine that is just off the chart. Bright saline notes punctuate the finish.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93 – 95

The 2019 Park Avenue Estate is a new wine in the range. It emerges from a 12-acre parcel adjacent to Lauren. It offers a compelling interplay of lemon confit and floral nuances.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 – 97

The 2019 Chardonnay Powder House, from a site in Forestville, is one of the most lifted, gracious wines in the range. White flowers, mint, orchard fruit and white pepper give the Powder House its distinctly brilliant aromatics. It is an especially translucent, taut Chardonnay within this hugely impressive range.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 95 – 97

The 2019 Chardonnay Sugar Shack balances the richness of this site with the cool nature of the year. Rich, oily and viscous, yet also incredibly gracious the Sugar Shack is arrestingly beautiful. Lemon confit, dried herbs, crushed rocks and tangerine oil open in the glass, but it is the wine’s balance that carries the day.

2019 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 – 97

The 2019 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is laced with the essence of tangerine oil, ginger, passionfruit and white flowers. Tropical and lush, yet also remarkably elegant, the UV-SL is so expressive today. A hint of reduction adds character, as does a slightly phenolic edge that drives through to the finish.

2019 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2023 – 2034

The 2019 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard is fleshy and wonderfully deep. Rich red/purplish fruit, spice, licorice and blood orange fill out the layers effortlessly. The 2019 offers plenty of richness…

2019 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2023 – 2034

The 2019 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is incredibly delicate and refined. Freshly cut flowers, mint, sage, dried rose petals and blood orange infuse the UV with notable brightness and energy to match its soft curves. In the glass, the UV is nuanced and so full of complexity. The 2019 UV Pinot is one of the most elegant Pinots I have tasted from Mark Aubert. I would cellar the 2019 for a few years as it has just been bottled.

2019 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2023 – 2034

The 2019 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard brings together some of the aromatic breadth of the UV with the textural resonance of the CIX. Rose petal, lavender, spice, menthol, kirsch and dark cherry fruit build in a Pinot that balances density, power and energy. Rich and layered in the glass, with striking inner perfume, the UV-SL is superb.