One of the most compelling tastings of my trip was with Mark Aubert. On paper, many of these wines sound as though they should push beyond the limits of balance, yet the reality is quite the opposite. Across the range, the wines are remarkably consistent and represent some of the highest quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir I tasted during my visit. More than simply impressive, they are singular wines that defy easy comparison and remain among the most distinctive expressions of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir being produced today. It was one of the most inspiring tastings of my trip. – Audrey  Frick

2024 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay CIX Estate comes from vines planted in 2008 and offers a compelling mix of richness and precision. Bright yellow in hue, it reveals notes of peach, orange sherbet, hazelnut, pastry cream, and graham cracker spice framed by flinty reduction and toasty complexity. Creamy and supple on the palate, it possesses terrific depth, texture, and length while retaining freshness throughout. Drink 2026-2041.

2024 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 98 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard comes from a site planted by Ulises Valdez in 2008. Green apple, lime candy, white flowers, and refined stony earth define this focused and elegant wine. Though among the warmer sites in the portfolio, it possesses a distinctly Burgundian sensibility, emphasizing purity, energy, and mineral precision over sheer power. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers impressive refinement and persistence. Drink 2026-2040.

2024 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is initially reserved, opening with notes of Marcona almond, candle wax, and flinty reduction. With air, the fruit expands to reveal ripe peach, melon, salted pineapple rind, and oily richness. Charming and approachable, it combines generosity with freshness and should benefit from another year or two in bottle. Drink 2026-2038.

2024 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 100 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons is exceptional. Sourced from a vineyard Aubert has worked with since 2008, it reveals aromas of pineapple, citrus oil, toast, and saline minerality. Despite its richness and concentration, the wine remains crystalline and vibrant, with outstanding freshness, precision, and length. It’s among the finest wines I have tasted from Carneros and this vineyard. Drink 2026-2038.

2024 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Lauren Estate comes from the estate’s oldest vines, planted in 1999. It opens with citrus stems, petrichor, wet asphalt, and orchard fruit aromas. Deep and layered, it possesses a Grand Cru-like sense of scale while remaining remarkably weightless. Pear, lemon verbena, spice, oils, and a chalky mineral backbone unfold across the palate. This is not the most immediately expressive wine in the range, but it may be among the most transparent to its site and is going to be worth holding back for a couple of years to allow it to develop further. Drink 2027-2040.

2024 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate is sourced entirely from estate fruit and already shows impressive complexity. Raw hazelnut, gunflint, and orchard fruit aromas lead into a palate that combines glycerin-like richness with terrific acidity and lift. Full-bodied and concentrated, it nevertheless maintains outstanding balance and weightlessness. Deeply layered and remarkably long, it carries substantial intensity without ever becoming sweet or heavy. Drink 2026-2040.

2024 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Powder House Estate reveals aromas of Mt. Eden brioche, wet stones, spice, and green Williams pear. Rich and intense on the palate, it balances its concentration with remarkable purity and freshness. Lime oils, green apple, and a subtle toasty lift emerge. Mark attributes the reductive character to be vineyard-derived rather than oak-driven, and the estate’s two rootstocks contribute both sappy richness and vibrant acidity. Despite reaching 15% alcohol, it carries itself with the finesse and balance of a much lower-alcohol wine. One of the stars of the range. Drink 2026-2045.

2024 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate is a powerful yet remarkably balanced effort. Chamomile, citrus oils, and saline minerality frame a palate packed with texture, depth, and richness. Full-bodied and hedonistic without ever becoming sweet, it possesses the most flesh and amplitude in the range while maintaining freshness and purity. It will benefit from decanting if opening over the near term. Drink 2026-2038.

2024 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard comes from vineyards perched above Occidental and marks fifteen years in the estate’s 25-year history. A blend of clonal material including Hyde Montrachet, it delivers remarkable depth and complexity without excess weight. Williams pear, green apple, orange blossom, savory earth, and crushed stone all emerge from this multidimensional effort. Despite its concentration, it remains weightless on the palate, showcasing tremendous clarity, salinity, and transparency. Drink 2026-2038.

---

2024 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2024 Pinot Noir CIX Estate is a complete and compelling wine. Grenadine, Luxardo cherry, blood orange, spice, and bright salinity all emerge from the glass. Full-bodied yet vibrant, it possesses exceptional length, focused acidity, and a deeper tannic framework than many of its siblings. The finish lingers effortlessly, suggesting a long evolution ahead. Drink 2026-2050.

2024 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The 2024 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate is deeper and broader in profile, revealing black cherry cordial, ripe tannins, resinous earth, sage, and crushed violets. More full-bodied than many wines in the range, it offers graphite, iron, and Sebastopol clay-driven richness beneath its fruit. Extended maceration contributes additional structure and depth. This should become increasingly brooding and complex with time in bottle. Drink 2026-2046.

2024 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

Marking the estate’s twentieth vintage, the 2024 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard offers tremendous charm and immediacy. Cherries, pie spice, and bright red fruits lead into a palate that is balanced, fresh, and beautifully even. Fine tannins and a seamless texture make this highly appealing today, though it possesses sufficient structure to evolve gracefully over the next 15 or so years. Drink 2027-2043.

2024 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2024 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is one of the standouts in the lineup. Raspberry coulis, evergreen, redwood, and sweet spice are accented by pronounced marine influence and striking salinity. The palate combines focus and verticality with notes of wild raspberry, sweet orange, and crushed volcanic stone. Energetic, layered, and exceptionally long, this brilliant Pinot Noir captures both the power and freshness of the site. Drink 2027-2047.

The two 100-point wines from Aubert show the depth and precision possible in the 2024 vintage. James likened the Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard chardonnay to a top Corton-Charlemagne for its density, intensity and oily, honeyed dried-apple character. The Lauren Estate bottling was slightly less deep and powerful but showed some of the most beautiful aromas James has encountered recently in a white wine. Aubert released another seven 2024 chardonnays that are also worth seeking out. His 2024 pinot noirs are equally compelling.

2024 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

So much citrus oil, rainwater, honeysuckle and hints of cooked apple on the nose follow through to a medium body with balance and density and a briny finish. Tight and layered. Crunchy. Crushed stone character. Hints of smoke. Drink or hold.

2024 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 99 Points

Amazing aromas of ginger, honeysuckle and pear with hints of flint. Jasmine. Full-bodied yet linear and bright with complex flavors of fresh apple, honey and white flowers. Just a hint of vanilla. Pretty mind blowing. Dried citrus at the end. Asian fruit. Drink or hold.

2024 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96 Points

Intense aromas of candle wax, dried apple, pear, flint and light matchstick follow through to a full-bodied wine with density and oiliness. Lovely softness and length. Just a hint of cooked apples and lemon rind with a creamy texture at the end. Drink or hold.

2024 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 100 Points

An intensity of citrus like lime and ginger with hints of hazelnut on both the nose and palate. Brioche as well. Medium-bodied with a light oiliness. Hints of honey and spice. So complex. Incredible depth and intensity. Like a top Corton-Charlemagne. Drink or hold.

2024 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

Incredible aromas of a beautiful flower shop with mostly lilacs and white orchids. Hints of honey. Medium- to full-bodied with incredible purity and depth of fruit, featuring apple, lime, light flint and citrus at the end. One of the most beautiful aromas I have encountered in a white wine. A must buy if you can find it to understand the greatness of American chardonnay. Drink or hold.

2024 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Sliced apple and pear with some vanilla and cream, smoke, flint and ginger with hints of toasted oak. Medium-bodied with so much lemon and salt. Linear and flavorful. Drink or hold.

2024 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

Perfumed aromas with an almost flower shop nuance to this white. Jasmine. Brioche. Hints of smoke. Medium-bodied with dried apple and pear with slices of citrus and white peach. Extremely long and tensioned. Spicy. Incredibly nuanced. Drink or hold.

2024 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 98 Points

Aromas of dried apple, dried lemon and hints of smoke and flint. It’s full-bodied and layered with a creamy finish. Impressive depth and intensity. Classic Sugar Shack. Drink or hold.

2024 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The density and layers to this are impressive with a full body and an oily, complex palate. Gunpowder and white pepper at the end. It pulls together at the finish into greatness. Drink or hold.

---

2024 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

Extremely floral and perfumed with strawberry and tangerine. Plenty of pine, spice and hibiscus. Medium-bodied with density, richness and depth, but also a polished firmness that gives the wine length and precision. Drink or hold.

2024 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

Impressive depth of fruit here with black cherry, ripe strawberry and hints of chocolate. Some coffee. Sandalwood. Medium- to full-bodied, creamy and medium round tannins with a velvety texture and a caressing finish. Drink or hold.

2024 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Aromas of dried strawberry, hay, red brick and subtle vanilla with some orange peel. Medium-bodied with integrated tannins and a firm yet caressing texture. Very curated and precise. Terracotta and dusty texture. Drink or hold.

2024 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The purity of fruit in this is spectacular with dark strawberry, dark cherry, flint and blood orange. It’s medium-bodied with a solid core of fruit yet so refined and polished. It literally melts in your mouth. The aftertaste is very umami with hints of dried flowers and red wood. Terrific. Drink or hold

“2024 is a vintage to dive in on, with solid wines that will provide more near- and mid-term drinking…”
– James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, May 2026

2024 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Starts off subtle at first, with fresh and juicy Asian pear, crunchy star fruit and Meyer lemon flavors. This expands into a more remarkable and complex wine, with notes of lemon confit, Danish butter cookie, apricot confections and crunchy sea salt. Shows plenty of energy and freshness on the finish. Drink now through 2038. —MaryAnn Worobiec (M.W.)

2024 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 95

Focused and linear, with a line drive of concentrated citrus, mineral and stone fruit flavors that expand to fleshy tones of apricot, white peach and pear pastry. Salted lemon bar, sesame seed, dried ginger and cardamom flavors are expressive, with hard lemon candy details on the finish alongside fresh-clipped herbs including vetiver and lemon balm. Drink now through 2040. —M.W.

2024 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96

A stunning style, with core notes of peach cobbler, dried apricot, pineapple upside-down cake, sticky toffee cake, and clove and other baking spices, all generous and concentrated. Offers a fresh thread of acidity and mouthwatering flavors of orange sherbet and lemon curd. Fresh and vibrant on the finish. Drink now through 2042. —M.W.

2024 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 98

Complex, aromatic and remarkable, with tension between the richness and elegance. Sleek acidity provides great energy to the flavors of lemon meringue, grilled pineapple, fleshy white peach and apple butter, plus a touch of crème caramel. A salted toffee note ramps up on the long finish, while aromatics of litsea oil and bitter orange linger. Drink now through 2043. —M.W.

2024 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

There’s so much intensity and flavor packed into this stunning white, which nonetheless retains a wonderful air of elegance. Its ethereal details transition seamlessly between the flavors, all swirling around sleek acidity. Shows crème caramel, crystalized honey, candied orange zest, lemon verbena and lime curd, plus a floral note of tuberose. Drink now through 2038. —M.W.

2024 Aubert Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Focused and intense, this white is centered on a citrus core of citron, yuzu and Meyer lemon. Makrut lime leaf, tangerine and lemon oil flavors leave a fragrant, juicy impression. Lemon basil, sweetgrass and white tea notes, along with touches of white pepper and lemon blossoms, emerge alongside a detail of Himalayan salt. Drink now through 2039. —M.W.

2024 Aubert Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Distinctive and aromatic, offering notes of jasmine, wild fennel, lemongrass and lime sherbet, with Bosc pear and crunchy star fruit, plus a mouthwatering core of lemon confit. There’s a creamy, satiny element, but it’s set against a sleek fame, with plenty of persistence on the finish. Drink now through 2041.—M.W.

2024 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 94

This is decidedly spicy, with gingersnap, cardamom cake and candied kumquat flavors that are bold and effusive on a big frame, plus a sleek core of acidity. There’s plenty to admire, with notes of poached pear, apricot pastry and salted caramel singing in harmony on the finish. Drink now through 2040.—M.W.

2024 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

Vibrant and expressive, with wonderful intensity to the orange blossom, lemon balm, lemon thyme and lime zest elements that complement the core of citrus and CrimsonCrisp apple. Notes of gray sea salt and chalky minerality give this a wonderful texture and structure on top of amplifying the flavors. A tarragon detail lingers. Drink now through 2042. —M.W.

---

2024 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

This is packed with energetic flavors of mulberry, boysenberry and morello cherry paste that are bright, sappy and mouthwatering in feel thanks to the well-embedded structure, which sets this up nicely for cellaring. There’s also floral lift, with iris and pennyroyal notes, plus a buried zip of iron minerality. The lengthy, riveting finish offers a toast component, but the fruit, floral and mineral elements form a brigade that’s very much in control. Best from 2027 through 2038.—James Molesworth (J.M.)

2024 Aubert Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

This draws attention thanks to what smells like a deep well of gently warmed boysenberry and mulberry compote. The feel is generous as the fruit cruises through, picking up iris, singed sandalwood and bergamot details. There’s structure, but it’s fine-grained and inlaid seamlessly, letting the fruit hold center court on the finish. What’s not to like? Drink now through 2036.—J.M.

2024 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

This brims with succulent energy, as the core of morello cherry, raspberry and plum fruit shows richness while staying pleasantly perky. Iris, hibiscus and pennyroyal accents add lovely range and persistence on the finish, which shows a lovely inner brightness. Approachable now, but it’s better to wait. Drink now through 2036.—J.M.

2024 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

This is packed with raspberry, mulberry and morello cherry paste flavors, all bristling with coiled energy, while savory and chaparral notes percolate. Grippy but energetic, with a tannic spine that’s matched by vibrant acidity. A kiss of apple wood on the finish is in proportion and should let the fruit unfurl nicely. Made for the cellar. Best from 2027 through 2037.—J.M.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Palate, December 11th, 2025

Aubert is widely regarded as one of the top Chardonnay producers in the United States and a benchmark estate on the world stage. The estate continues to develop a style of California Chardonnay that is boldly rich yet strikingly fresh, guided by precise farming and a cellar approach that emphasizes protection, patience, and consistency. The outcome is a collection of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs that have earned a reputation as some of the most desirable wines in the country—and that support Mark Aubert’s view that, with the right grapes and coastal sites, California can produce white wines of genuine worldwide recognition.

2024 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay CIX Estate zips out with eager-to-please notes of lemon tart, Granny Smith apples, and lime blossoms, plus underlying suggestions of wet slate and peaches and cream. The super-concentrated, full-bodied palate is stacked with stone fruit and citrusy layers, supported by a crisp backbone and satiny texture, finishing with incredible length and depth. Wow.

2024 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 96 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Eastside races from the glass with vivacious notes of lime cordial, struck flint, citron blossom, and grapefruit, plus a touch of crushed rocks. The full-bodied palate is tightly wound with chalk-laced citrus fruit layers and a crisp backbone, finishing with incredible length and a whole firework display of minerals.

2024 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 98 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons shoots out of the glass like a laser beam, delivering a vibrant nose of fresh lime juice, grapefruit, and chalk dust with hints of struck match and coriander seed. The full-bodied palate is dense with citrus fruit layers and chalky accents, delivering the most decadently gorgeous, creamy texture and fabulous tension, finishing long and minerally.

2024 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

The 2024 Hudson Chardonnay needs a little swirling and coaxing to bring out notes of juicy pears, honeydew melon, and allspice, followed by hints of marzipan and beeswax. The full-bodied palate is seductively satiny with rich orchard fruit layers and plenty of freshness, finishing long and opulent. YUM!

2024 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Lauren Estate sashays out with showy notes of ripe apricots, Bosc pears, and Golden Delicious apples, followed by hints of almond croissant, candied ginger, and orange blossoms. The full-bodied palate is a little restrained to start, slowly expanding to reveal stacks of savory and stone fruit layers, supported by seamless freshness and a compellingly velvety texture, finishing long and opulent. Stunning.

2024 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Park Avenue shimmies out of the glass with ready-to-go scents of Bosc pears, yellow apples, and apricots, giving way to hints of talc, honeysuckle, and brioche. The full-bodied palate is taut and more reserved than the nose with seamless freshness and a creamy texture, finishing long and savory.

2024 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Powder House needs a little shaking to wake up scents of lemongrass, chalk dust, and struck flint, leading to a core of green apples, grapefruit, and jasmine tea. Full-bodied, the palate is tight-knit and electric with vibrant orchard and citrus fruit flavors, framed by a crisp backbone and a satiny texture, finishing long and minerally.

2024 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 98 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Sugar Shack waltzes out of the glass with flamboyant notes of ripe white peaches, guava, juicy pears, and fresh ginger, plus suggestions of orange blossoms and wet pebbles. The full-bodied palate is racy and lively with bold orchard fruit flavors and a silky texture, finishing long with a provocative tropical fruit lift.

2024 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay UV-SL bursts with bold notes of ripe pineapples, juicy nectarines, and green guava, leading to hints of baking bread, spice cake, and powdered ginger. Full-bodied, the palate is beautifully poised and satiny with textbook tension and loads of tropical fruit and stone fruit layers, finishing with a provocative zesty lift.

---

2024 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2024 Pinot Noir CIX Estate flies out of the glass with energetic scents of crushed mulberries, blackberries, and wild blueberries with touches of Chinese five spice, fallen leaves, rose bud tea, and preserved orange peel. Full-bodied, the palate delivers incredible tension to offset the intense black fruit and exotic spice layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins, finishing very long and fragrant.

2024 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Deep ruby-purple in color, the 2024 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate erupts from the glass with a powerful perfume of boysenberries, black cherry compote, and blackberries, followed by nuances of anise, lilacs, tar, and underbrush. The full-bodied palate is jam-packed with black fruit layers with velvety tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and opulent.

2024 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

The 2024 Pinot Noir UV is medium ruby-purple in color. It comes bounding out of the glass with notes of juicy black cherries, pomegranate, and black raspberries, plus hints of candied violets, dark chocolate, and mint tea. The full-bodied palate is bursting with black cherry and juicy raspberry flavors with a seriously racy backbone and very fine-grained tannin, finishing with loads of mint and mineral sparks.

2024 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

Deep ruby-purple colored, the 2024 Pinot Noir UV-SL charges out of the glass with gregarious, intense scents of red currant jelly, wild strawberries, and Bing cherries, followed by hints of pine resin, lavender, mossy tree bark, and black pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully light on its feet and refreshing with super-silky tannins and vibrant red berry flavors, finishing long and earthy.

Mark Aubert’s young 2024s are striking. “It was a typical California year—lots of warmth, lots of sunshine,” Aubert commented. “But we had no days over 100 degrees in September, which was favorable. All those days happened in October, but we were all picked out.” The recently bottled Pinots offer a compelling mix of forward fruit and supporting energy, one of the signatures of this vintage. It’s a strong vintage for Chardonnay, where all the wines are deeply expressive of site. The bottled Chardonnays are every bit as exceptional as they were last year when I tasted them from tank prior to bottling. As appealing as the Chardonnays are young, I prefer them with a bit of bottle age—seven to ten years for most of the wines—although the top wines will drink beautifully beyond that.

2024 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 – 98 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay CIX Estate is seriously impressive. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2024 hits the palate with layered, intensely mineral-driven fruit. Orange peel, chamomile and floral-infused honey all build in the glass. Readers will find a deep, potent Chardonnay endowed with tremendous power and textural resonance. This is one of the very finest CIX Chardonnays I have tasted. Magnificent.

2024 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 94 – 96 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard is a potent, tightly wound wine. It is going to need at least a few years to unwind. Citrus confit, white flowers, tangerine oil, crushed rocks, dried herbs and mint are finely sketched. Brisk acids pull it all together on the close. There’s terrific energy here.

2024 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95 – 97 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is a classic Mark Aubert Chardonnay. Oily and viscous in feel, the 2024 offers up an exotic mix of ripe pear, jasmine, spice, slate and baked apple tart. Floral overtones build nicely in the glass, framed by a slight touch of reduction. Soft contours wrap it all together in style. This is a fabulous Hudson.

2024 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 93 – 95 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is wine of total precision and class. Lemon confit, slate, white pepper, apricot, lightly honeyed notes and a kick of reduction are classic Hyde. In 2024, the Hyde is elegant, gracious and a bit ethereal.

2024 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 – 98 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Lauren is the most refined and sensual of the 2024 Chardonnays from Mark Aubert. Soft, caressing contours frame a core of apricot, lemon confit, white flowers, tangerine oil and chalk. This vivid, structured Chardonnay has a very bright future. This is such a classy and wonderfully complete wine.

2024 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 – 97 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Park Avenue is a dense, powerful wine. Tangerine confit, white flowers, slate, chalk, mint and light tropical inflections stain the palate. Deep and potent, with tons of palate presence, the 2024 Park Avenue is positively stellar. It’s one of the most crystalline, transparent wines in the range.

2024 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 – 97 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Powder House opens with soaring aromatics. Creamy and viscous, yet also remarkably refined, the 2024 is all class. In this tasting, the Powder House is a bit shy, just a touch reticent. Its long, persistent finish suggests a bright future lies ahead.

2024 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 94 – 96 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay Sugar Shack offers tons of immediacy right out of the gate. Orange confit, roasted apple, pastry notes, tropical overtones and a kiss of French oak are dialed up nicely. I imagine this will be one of the Chardonnays that drinks well on the earlier side. There is an exotic side to the Sugar Shack that is hugely appealing.

2024 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 – 97 Points

The 2024 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard soars from the glass with captivating aromatics. Freshly cut flowers, slate, mint, chalk and dried herbs lend notable aromatic brightness. This tense, salivating Chardonnay is shaping up to be a jewel of wine. A bit of time in the glass brings out the wine’s textural richness and overall presence. There’s tremendous depth and intensity here.

---

2023 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay CIX Estate marries textural opulence and vertical energy unlike any other wine in this range. Crushed rocks, mint, white pepper, slate, dried flowers, sage and chalk soar from the glass. All the elements are so well put together. There is a feeling of transparency here that is palpable. CIX is Mark Aubert’s coolest site. Year in, year out, the wines here are exceptional.

2023 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 95 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard comes across as a bit reticent today. Medium in body and very aromatic, the 2023 is still coming out of its shell. Apricot, honey, dried white flowers, marzipan, crushed rocks and hazelnut emerge with a bit of coaxing. Time in the glass softens the contours nicely.

2023 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is a very sexy wine. Creamy, layered and generous in the glass, the 2023 is positively stellar. Ripe pear, green apple, white flowers and a hint of spice caress the palate. The 2023 is so open and engaging today. All the elements are impeccably balanced. Racy, voluptuous contours wrap it all together in style.

2023 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is classic Hyde. Just textbook. Orange confit, lychee, burnt sugar, baked apple tart and apricot are dialed up all the way. Flashy, exuberant and opulent to the core, the 2023 is a great Hyde from Mark Aubert. An archetype.

2023 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Lauren is the Mark Aubert wine par excellence. Creamy and layered, the 2023 is so sensual and alluring. Orange confit, mint, baked apple and a kiss of French oak all grace the palate. Lifted, precise and so elegant, the Lauren impresses with its seamless personality and compelling balance.

2023 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Park Avenue is a classy, polished wine. Today, the wine’s brightness and overall energy stand out most. Crushed rocks, slate, mint, white pepper, chalk and mint all race out of the glass. This really sizzles with tension and minerality. The 2023 is an especially fine, layered Park Avenue. Memorable.

2023 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Powder House finds Mark Aubert at the top of his game. Rich and unctuous in the glass, the 2023 has it all. Preserved lemon, white flowers, slate, mint, tangerine oil, lychee, and a kiss of French oak fill out the layers. A flicker of reduction adds freshness as this opulent, large-scale Chardonnay shows off its alluring personality.

2023 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 96 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Sugar Shack is redolent of apricot, chamomile, floral-infused honey, marzipan and dried flowers. Brisk acids lend energy. There’s a ton of phenolic depth and savory intensity here. This builds beautifully with time in the glass. Superb.

2023 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is a wild, exotic wine. Lifted tropical notes meld into a core of green orchard fruit, mint and lime zest. As is so often the case, the UV-SL is defined by its textural presence, layers of fruit and plush, enveloping curves.

---

2024 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

The 2024 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard is another potent, virile wine in this lineup. Brisk acids and beams of tannin shape this vibrant, driving Pinot. Cool red- and blue-toned fruit emerge with some reluctance. This is a bit raw today, but there’s a lot of wine here for those who can wait.

2024 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95+ Points

The 2024 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate is one of the most savory, reticent wines in the range. Dried herbs, mint and crushed flowers lend tons of aromatic presence. This dense, packed Pinot is going to need at least a few years to unwind.

2024 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94 Points

The 2024 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is a gorgeous, restrained wine. Crushed flowers, sweet red-toned fruit, chalk, dried herbs and mint lend the UV tons of aromatic complexity to match its mid-weight personality. It shows the more vibrant style Mark Aubert favors today. It’s also the most open of the Aubert Pinots at this stage. The 2024 is pure seduction, even in the very early going.

2024 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2024 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is rich and voluptuous in the glass. Supple dark red cherry fruit, plum, rose petal, blood orange, sage, pomegranate and sweet spice fill out the layers. Plush contours wrap it all together in style. Readers who enjoy exuberant, broad-shouldered Pinots should gravitate to this bottling.

Insider Weekly

---

Hot Wines: These are the most exciting discoveries from our editors’ most recent tastings, published exclusively in Wine Spectator Insider. They are high-scoring wines from around the world that may be difficult to find, but are worth seeking out.

2023 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

This packs in an admirable amount of bright fruit in the form of raspberry, cherry and mulberry notes, while sparkles of anise, sassafras, savory and even rosemary peek in, giving savory, juicy lift and cut. Shows a suave gloss of toast, with more than enough energy and fruit to burn on its youthfully compact but mouthwatering finish. Built to cellar. Best from 2026 through 2040.—J.M.

2023 Aubert Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

Densely packed but mouthwatering, with crushed red and black cherry and raspberry fruit, this moves steadily and authoritatively, showing iris, hibiscus and rose petal nuances within the fruit offset beautifully by glossy, apple wood–accented toast along the edges. The bristling energy, buried deeply, should steer this through a decade of cellaring. Best from 2026 through 2038.—J.M.

2023 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

This is beautifully rendered, with youthfully compact notes of raspberry, boysenberry and bitter cherry compote stitched with light accents of briar, warm earth, sassafras, bergamot tea and singed apple wood. Its range and precision are amplified and carried with aplomb by the vintage’s highly pixelated acidity. Gorgeous and built for cellaring. Best from 2026 through 2038.—J.M.

2023 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

This is powerfully rendered, with a deep well of blackberry, black cherry and mulberry reduction notes infused with an inner tension that belies their density. As the fruit forms the prodigious core, mouthwatering accents of anise, black tea and apple wood fill in liberally, adding lift and energy through the finish, which shows remarkable definition. Best from 2027 through 2038.—J.M.

Insider Weekly: Mark Aubert’s World-Class California Chardonnays

Mark Aubert’s mission is to craft California Chardonnays that rival the world’s greatest wines. Mission accomplished. Aubert built his reputation through meticulous vineyard work, low yields and an obsessive focus on quality. His namesake label, founded in 2000 with his wife, Teresa, shows his success across Napa and Sonoma, both with fruit sourced from renowned properties such as Hyde & Sons and from his own estate vineyards. – MaryAnn Worobiec

2023 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98

Epic and aromatic, with hints of flint, dried mango, blood orange puree and lemon cheesecake. The acidity provides an appealing backbone for the supple mix of pear pastry, caramelized brown sugar, peach preserves and lemon verbena. The fresh, energetic finish shows hints of white tea. Drink now through 2040. —M.W.

2023 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97

A stunning white, offering a fragrant and exuberant mix of orange Creamsicle and mango puree, with candied citrus zest, pound cake and marzipan accents. Creamy and lush as the vibrant acidity weaves in and out, with a drizzle of wildflower honey and honeysuckle on the expressive finish. Drink now through 2039. —M.W.

2023 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96

This is absolutely luscious, offering a smooth and silky mix of marzipan, lemon cream and kumquat marmalade. Details of dried pear, wildflower honey, glazed orange peel, and toasted and salted hazelnut gain momentum on the finish, as do touches of lemon basil and vetiver on the finish. Drink now through 2037. —M.W.

2023 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 98

Remarkable, powerful and complex, with smoked butterscotch, pear, tangerine, white peach, apricot preserves and dried mango, plus floral accents of honeysuckle and orange blossoms. Notes of pineapple upside-down cake, candied ginger and sweet cream add richness and elegance. The freshness from the acidity amplifies the flavors on the epic finish. Drink now through 2038. —M.W.

2023 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98

Grilled lemon and pineapple are a bold opening, with litsea oil and lemon balm notes giving way to flavors of ripe peach and apricot, plus a hint of green cardamom. Makrut lime leaf, lemongrass and lemon basil details linger on the long, aromatic and expressive finish. Drink now through 2040. —M.W.

2023 Aubert Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

Displays a beautiful mix of power and elegance, with a plump, fleshy frame and energetic acidity. Offers Sumo citrus, mandarin orange and grilled pineapple flavors. Details of lemon balm, gingersnap, marzipan and salted butterscotch linger on the long, epic finish. A stunner. Drink now through 2040. —M.W.

2023 Aubert Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

Distinctive and aromatic, with notes of fresh-cut Fuji apple, crunchy star fruit, lemon cream, ginger and jasmine. There’s an appealing firmness to the acidity. Toasted, salted hazelnut, toffee and crunchy sea salt gain momentum on the finish, along with touches of toasted green tea and vetiver on the creamy finish. Drink now through 2039.—M.W.

2023 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 96

Bright and juicy, with wonderful purity to the core of mango puree, grilled lemon, Sumo citrus and tangerine flavors. Shows accents of ripe peach, dried pineapple, crème brûlée and bergamot, along with fresh lemon and lime zest. There’s a touch of sesame candy crunch on the finish. Drink now through 2037.—M.W.

2023 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

Offers a stunning mix of crème brûlée, orange curd and peach preserves, with so much depth and complexity to the range of details, including wildflower honey and apricot pastry, plus spicy accents of nutmeg and Saigon cinnamon. Toffee and a touch of smoked salt linger on the finish. Drink now through 2035. —M.W.

Aubert fans have a lot to look forward to in these upcoming releases. The 2023 Chardonnays capture all the energy and vibrancy of this cool, late-ripening year. The Pinots, bottled this summer, are all impressive. They were done with fully destemmed fruit and saw as much as 30 days on the skins. As I have remarked in recent reports, the Pinots capture more verve these days than they did in the past, while still offering plenty of the richness Aubert is known for.

2023 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 – 98 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay CIX Estate is one of the most complete wines in this range. Aromatically intense, textured and silky, the 2023 CIX brings together all the elements that make these Chardonnays so appealing. Lemon oil, hazelnut, dried flowers and lightly honeyed notes all grace this resonant, expansive Chardonnay. The CIX is often one of my favorite Aubert Chardonnays, as it is once again in 2023.

2023 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 93 – 95 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Eastside is potent and tightly wound. It possesses notable textural depth and structure. I am looking forward to tasting this again, as it is pretty closed, especially in the aromatics. Even so, this is a lot of wine. Hints of graphite and dried orchard fruit open with some reluctance.

2023 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 94 – 96 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is redolent of crushed rocks, slate, mint, white pepper and oyster shell. In this vintage, the Hudson is a bit reticent, but I see that as a positive for its long-term evolution. This is the first Aubert Hudson Chardonnay since 2019 because of replanting. The 2023 is classic Hudson all the way.

2023 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 94 – 96 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is super-refined and polished. This was the last pick in 2023. Apricot, dried pear, chamomile, mint, tangerine peel and lightly honeyed notes all grace this exquisite, nuanced Chardonnay.

2023 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 – 100 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Lauren is the quintessential Mark Aubert wine. Rich, layered and wonderfully dynamic in the glass, the 2023 is another super-complete wine. The Lauren is marked by strong mineral, earthy and savory notes that require bottle age to be at their most expressive.

2023 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 – 97 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Park Avenue looks like it will offer fine drinking out of the gate. Bold and effusive, the 2023 is a Chardonnay of total seduction. Ripe pear, white flowers, marzipan and lightly honeyed notes build in the glass. This extravagant Park Avenue is a dense, hedonistic showstopper.

2023 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 – 97 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Powder House is another of the more floral, weightless wines in this range. Chalk, mint, white pepper, crushed rocks, sage and mint lead into a core of white orchard fruit, lemon oil and marzipan. I especially admire its energy and overall vibrancy here. Saline notes confer freshness on the close.

2023 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 94 – 96 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Sugar Shack is a wine of textural density and opulence. Tangerine oil, chamomile, pastry and lightly buttered notes all meld together. In this tasting, the Sugar Shack is marked by its viscosity, a signature of this warm microclimate vis-à-vis the other Chardonnays in the range. A feeling of phenolic intensity and acid lingers on the close.

2023 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 – 97 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is delicate and sensual in the glass. White flowers, tangerine oil, mint, lemon confit and light tropical accents take shape. Rich yet light on its feet, the 2023 UV-SL is sublime. Lifted floral overtones grace the sensual finish. This is all refinement.

---

2023 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The 2023 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard is another stellar wine from Mark Aubert. It is the most savory of the Pinots and yet still possesses tons of depth and overall structure. These are some of the later blocks to come in. Dried herbs, mint, blood orange, chalk, raspberry and crushed flowers lend notable exotic flair throughout.

2023 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

The 2023 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate is a new wine in this range. It emerges from a parcel in Sebastopol planted with cuttings from UV. Black cherry, leather, incense and graphite open first, followed by lifted floral and savory notes that add character. The Park Avenue doesn’t have the layers of the other Pinots, but it comes very close. This is a seriously impressive debut.

2023 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2023 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is dense, heady and explosive. The purity of the fruit is just superb. Bright red/purplish fruit, rose petal, lavender, spice and blood orange all soar from the glass. A wine of depth and textural intensity, the 2023 is just magnificent. So aromatic. Bright acids pull it all together on the finish. The UV is the most delicate and refined of the Pinots from Aubert this year.

2023 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2023 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is a rich, full-bodied wine. Inky dark fruit, mocha, new leather, soy, spice and grilled herbs are beautifully amplified. A wine of resonance and textural power, the 2023 is superb. Readers will find a Pinot of tremendous color, flavor and aromatic expressiveness. This site at elevation yields notable intensity. It is the darkest and most flamboyant of the Aubert Pinots.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent, November 14th, 2024

The 2023 Chardonnays are already well-defined, bright, and expressive—compellingly complete… Aubert’s 2023 Chardonnays and Pinots will be tough acts to follow.

2023 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97+ Points

The 2023 Chardonnay CIX Estate bursts with bold notes of peaches and apricots, giving way to suggestions of aniseed, pie crust, grapefruit oil, and wet pebbles. The full-bodied palate has a decadently creamy texture with soft acidity framing the opulent stone fruit and spicy flavors, finishing long with a savory lift.

2023 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97+ Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Eastside skips out of the glass with bright, vibrant scents of fresh limes, green apples, and lemon drops, leading to suggestions of struck flint, baker’s yeast, and orange blossom. The medium to full-bodied palate is bright and intense with zesty flavors and a satiny texture, finishing long and savory.

2023 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 100 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons rockets from the glass with super-intense notes of lime blossoms, fresh yellow apples, orange peel, and chalk dust, plus hints of struck flint and grapefruit oil. The medium-bodied palate shimmers with citrus and stone fruit flavors, supported by fantastic tension and a satiny texture, finishing long and zesty. If served to me blind, I might mistake it for a Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne.

2023 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

The 2023 Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay prances out with showy notes of white peaches, beeswax, juicy pears, and allspice, plus hints of wet pebbles and coriander seed. The medium to full-bodied palate is satiny and savory, delivering lots of orchard fruit layers and a long mineral-laced finish.

2023 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Lauren Estate needs a lot of swirling to bring out evocative scents of Bosc pears, honeydew melon, marzipan, and honeycomb, plus hints of chalk dust and lime blossoms. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers intense, profound orchard fruit and savory layers, supported by beautifully knit acidity and a silken texture, finishing long with a spicy kick.

2023 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Park Avenue charges out with vibrant notes of lemon tart, lime cordial, and nectarines, followed by touches of struck flint, brioche, honeysuckle, and chalk dust. The medium to full-bodied palate vibrates with energetic citrus and stone fruit flavors, supported by a racy line and a satiny texture, finishing long and satisfyingly savory. Gorgeous.

2023 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Powder House waltzes out with flamboyant notes of jasmine tea, lemongrass, and fresh ginger, opening out to a core of apricots, spiced apples, and persimmons. The medium to full-bodied palate is very elegant and savory with soft-spoken spice and orchard fruit flavors and just enough tension, finishing on a persistent gingery note.

2023 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 98 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay Sugar Shack needs a little shaking and coaxing to bring out delicate notes of Golden Delicious apples, lemon curd, lime jelly, and candle wax, plus nuances of baking bread and chopped almonds. The medium to full-bodied palate is creamy textured with soft acidity and bags of apple and citrus-inspired flavors, finishing with a zesty lift.

2023 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

The 2023 Chardonnay UV-SL has vibrant notes of pink grapefruit, fresh pineapple, and peaches, giving way to nuances of Marcona almonds, wet slate, and white pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate is compellingly silky with wonderful freshness, filling the mouth with layers of citrus, tropical, and orchard fruit flavors, finishing with epic length and depth. Stunning!

---

2023 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2023 Pinot Noir CIX Estate needs a little swirling to bring out lifted notes of crushed blackberries, fresh strawberries, and red cherries, plus hints of dried Provence herbs, hoisin, and wet slate. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly wound with black and red berry layers, supported by very finely grained tannins and a refreshing line, finishing long and chalky.

2023 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Deep ruby-purple in color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate comes bounding out with exuberant notes of juicy raspberries, red currant jelly, and blood orange, followed by hints of graphite, tilled soil, and iron ore with a touch of lavender oil. The medium to full-bodied palate is so elegant and refined, with a lively line and super-silky tannins, finishing long and minerally.

2023 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2023 Pinot Noir UV is medium ruby-purple in color. A gorgeous perfume of fresh raspberries, wild strawberries, and lavender wafts from the glass, followed by hints of wet slate, forest floor, and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate has amazing tension and fine-grained tannins that frame the vibrant red berry and floral layers, finishing long and fragrant.

2023 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

Deep ruby-purple colored, the 2023 Pinot Noir UV-SL shimmies out of the glass with gregarious notes of pomegranate, black cherries, black raspberries, and wild fungi, followed by hints of orange peel, forest floor, and wild thyme. The medium to full-bodied palate is super-intense and tightly knit, with a racy backbone defining the red berry and earthy layers, finishing with incredible length.

Insider Weekly: California Chardonnay

2022 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

Plush, elegant and generous, with peach, dried apricot and mango puree flavors that have an appealingly fleshy density, showing a touch of lemon drop candy, plus notes of mandarin orange, salted preserved lemon, apple pastry and crème anglaise. A hint of smoked butterscotch lingers. Drink now through 2034. —M.W.

2022 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 94

Lush, complex and stylish, with notes of quince, grilled pineapple, peach preserves, lemon blossoms, toasted and salted hazelnut, marmalade, cardamom and preserved ginger, plus a fresh thread of acidity that weaves in and out. Drink now through 2034. —M.W.

2022 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97

Offers a bold mix of power and elegance, displaying generous flavors of mango puree, grilled pineapple, peach cobbler and marmalade, with details of lemon mint, marzipan and wild sage, plus spice notes of nutmeg and cardamom. The vibrant acidity, supple texture and crescendo of flavors on the finish make this a memorable wine. Drink now through 2036. —M.W.

2022 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

A stylish white, with appealing notes of crystalized ginger and candied orange peel, providing a wonderful density to the texture. Ripe, salted melon, dried mango and peach preserves mingle with notes of green cardamom and allspice, backed by hints of pecan pie and lemon blossoms that linger on the long, fresh and juicy finish. Drink now through 2037. —M.W.

2022 Aubert Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

A stunning, aromatic mix of lemon curd and roasted, salted hazelnut flavors show a touch of marzipan, along with marmalade, litsea oil and smoked butterscotch. Hints of crisp, buttery shortbread and apple pastry and a fresh thread of acidity keep the flavors in focus, ending with a long, generous finish. Drink now through 2037. —M.W.

2022 Aubert Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

There’s terrific tension to this white, with powerful, generous flavors and an elegant, wonderfully open-knit texture. Peach cobbler, candied orange peel, clementine and mango flavors are at the core, while details of clove and cinnamon honey, along with toasted brioche with a dab of salted butter, complete the picture on a juicy and creamy frame. Drink now through 2037.—M.W.

2022 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 96

A rich, bold and mesmerizing Chardonnay, with tangerine, orange blossom and candied ginger notes up front. Nutmeg, cinnamon candy and peach preserves, along with marmalade, honeycomb and toasted sesame seeds, add complexity, creating a long, compelling finish, with a fresh thread of acidity weaving in and out. Drink now through 2035.—M.W.

2022 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96

A complex version, offering a rich and aromatic mix of salted caramel, nutmeg and cardamom, along with pear pastry and white peach notes, plus touches of candied fennel seed, lemongrass and candied ginger. The flavors are plump and fleshy, while mouthwatering acidity keeps everything light on its feet. Drink now through 2032. —M.W.