Mark Aubert’s 2017 Chardonnays are every bit as remarkable from bottle as they were from tank. Interestingly, the Labor Day heat spikes had the effect of blocking some of the maturation of the vines. So, in a very warm and dry year, the 2017 Aubert Chardonnays are lower in alcohol, lower in pH and higher in acidity than is the norm, something further accentuated by lower conversions of sugar into finished alcohol in the wines. This range is positively stellar. There is not much else I can add to that.

2017 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2021 – 2032

The Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is yet another positively brilliant wine in this line up of 2017 Chardonnays from Mark Aubert. Lemon oil, tangerine, dried flowers, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes all meld together in a rich, ample wine endowed with tremendous purity and textural depth. Tropical overtones add further shades of nuance. In a word: stunning.

2017 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 98
Drinking Window: 2021 – 2031

The 2017 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard is one of the more overt wines in this range. Lemon confit, tangerine, marzipan, white flowers all develop in this overt, plush Chardonnay. This Russian River site…yields wines of real distinction. The 2017 was breathtaking when I tasted it from tank prior to bottling. It is all that, and more, today. What a wine!

2017 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2029

The 2017 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is a real pleasure to taste now that it has been bottled. Creamy and unctuous on the palate, with striking depth, the Hudson has so much to say. Baked apple, orchard fruit, white flowers and whole range of bright aromas and flavors develop in a bright, super-expressive Chardonnay.

2017 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2019 – 2029

The 2017 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons is just as impressive from bottle as it was from tank a few months ago. In 2017, the Hyde stands out for its creamy, harmonious personality. Lemon confit, marzipan and dried pear and floral notes all meld together in this beautifully textured, open-knit Chardonnay from Mark Aubert.

2017 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98
Drinking Window: 2021 – 2032

One of the highlights in this range, the 2017 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is also the most gracious and lifted of Mark Aubert’s Chardonnays. Lemon peel, white flowers, mint, chalk and white pepper give the wine lift and perfume. Delicate, understated and classy to the core, the Lauren has it all. The 2017 is a stunning wine. It’s as simple as that. Don’t miss it.

2017 Aubert Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2019-2027

The 2017 Chardonnay Powder House Vineyard is bright, punchy and full of life. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint and almond all race out of this plush yet vibrant Chardonnay. There is so much to like in this striking, delineated Chardonnay. The Powder House is the one wine in this tasting that is far showier from bottle than it was from tank. It is also the most approachable of the 2017 Chardonnays. For that reason, I would choose to drink it ahead of the other Chardonnays in the range.

2017 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2021 – 2029

The 2017 Chardonnay Sugar Shack has a ton of tremendous up-front appeal and but perhaps a bit less in the way of persistence. In exchange, though, readers will find a Chardonnay will be ready to drink with only minimal, if any, cellaring. Hints of apricot, honey, almonds and mint linger on the inviting, expressive finish.

2017 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2021 – 2031

The 2017 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard bright, aromatic and focused, with a palpable sense of vibrancy that is its key signature. White flowers, lemon confit and mint all open up in the glass, with distinct saline underpinnings that give the wine freshness, verve and a strong marine influence that is impossible to miss.

2017 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2022 – 2032

The 2017 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard is a rich, sensual wine. Red cherry jam, blood orange, pomegranate, and rose petals all flesh out in this lush yet mid-weight, incredibly appealing Pinot Noir. The 2017 is succulent and juicy in style, and yet it also retains terrific freshness. There is so much to look forward to.

2017 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2022 – 2032

Aubert’s 2017 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is pliant, open-knit and super-expressive. Sweet tobacco, cedar, mint, earthiness, dried flowers and cherry fruit are all laced together in this very pretty, nuanced Pinot. Despite its recent bottling, the 2017 UV is bright, lifted and super-expressive. The blend of Calera and Vosne-Romanée clones works beautifully.

2017 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94+
Drinking Window: 2022 – 2032

…Dried herbs, cedar, tobacco and menthol add striking aromatic nuance, but today it is the wine’s tannin profile that makes the strongest impression. This hillside site above Occidental yields Pinots of real distinction. I imagine the UV-SL will be the slowest of these wines to reveal itself, but it has plenty to say. Lavender, rose petals, blood orange and spices add an exotic flair to this embryonic Pinot.

Richness in chardonnay can be thrilling, as long as it delivers balance and distinctiveness. It can be impressive, expressive and artfully interpreted but, just as a great gymnast will demonstrate, the dismount or finish must be precise and on point. The chardonnays of Aubert are the best at harnessing richness whilst executing balance and focus where many others blur the lines of definition and miss the mark of harmony. Aubert’s chardonnays are wines with irresistible appeal and show that, with an experienced and astute approach, richer chardonnay can be delivered in Sonoma with the same thrilling balance seen in Grand Cru White Burgundy.

2017 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-98 Points

This is very deep and foursquare with fabulous depth and power. Muscular. Cream, yogurt and layers of fruit. Extremely rich and flavorful. Love the finish. Oily at the end.

2017 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 96-97 Points

An rich, oily white with cooked apples and lemons and meringue undertones. Full-bodied and very flavorful. Intense lime and lemon finish. Gorgeous and sensuous white. February 2019 release.

2017 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95-96 Points

A layered and phenolic white with sliced, cooked apples and lime undertones. Medium to full body, lovely fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Tangy, too. Tight and compacted.

2017 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-99 Points

A very flashy white with so much toasted-oak and coconut, cooked-apple and peach character. Full-bodied, dense and very rich. Lots of fruit and intensity at the end. So much lime and kiwi in the aftertaste. Gorgeous. Release September 2019.

2017 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99-100 Points

This is really dense with extraordinary depth and power. Full-bodied and so powerful and so gorgeous. The layers of fruit and the textures are amazing.

2017 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

This is dense and focused with a very tight and compacted palate of blackberries, blueberries and smoke. Full-bodied and very flavorful. Structured and so beautiful. Quite muscular. Drink in 2021.

2017 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-97 Points

Very pretty red with dried berry and strawberry character. Soy sauce. Some fresh floral and mushroom character. Full bodied, round and layered with chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Lovely length and structure.

2017 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-97 Points

Beautiful, dark berries, strawberries and perfume. Flowers, too. Full bodied, very tight and chewy with polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Give this time to show it’s true glory.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

During my tasting visit to the winery in August 2018, Mark Aubert informed me that they were all done picking before the fires in 2017. In fact, I had visited Aubert in 2017 at the end of August, which was the first day of their harvest. Harvest went on for about four more weeks. Mark informed me that the winery was closed up tight during the fires to prevent smoke infiltration. Power went off for about an hour but they have a back up generator, so there was little if any impact on the wines. Ultimately, wines don’t lie, and the 2017 tank samples that I tasted with Mark back up up all the information he gave me.

As usual, these 2017 Chardonnays took 4-6 months to complete fermentation. Therefore, Mark pointed out, the alcohol accumulates slowly and integrates very well over that time. It’s worth noting that Mark doesn’t rack super clean, offering a little sur lie savoriness to the wines. As always, he never filters anything.

The Pinots saw about 10-15% whole cluster and were bottled in June 2018. All the 2017 Chardonnays will be bottled in mid-December 2018. There is an incredible clarity and depth of flavors revealed in the Chardonnays in particular already and, as readers will take away from my notes and scores, I couldn’t be more excited about what 2017 has delivered in the Aubert vineyards.

2017 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96-99 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay CIX Estate has an incredibly intense nose of lemon peel, green mango, fresh pears and powdered ginger with suggestions of baking bread, chopped cashews, lightly buttered popcorn and crème brûlée. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and bold with a racy line carrying the citrus and savory layers to an incredibly long finish.

2017 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 96-99 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard has quite a decadent nose of pineapple upside down cake, almond croissant, peach cobbler and apple crumble with hints of marzipan and orange blossoms. The palate is full-bodied, rich, powerful and opulent in the mouth, with a wonderful oiliness to the texture and a seamless backbone of freshness to give it just enough lift, finishing very long and savory. This is a powerhouse that should offer amazing aging potential.

2017 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96-99 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard delivers an incredibly spicy nose featuring allspice and nutmeg with notions of paraffin, oyster shells and brioche over a core of pink grapefruit, lemon meringue pie and butterscotch with a touch of aniseed. Super concentrated, vibrant and multilayered on the full-bodied palate with a beautiful creamy texture and epic length, it’s very tightly wound—this should be very long lived.

2017 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard opens with a gloriously gregarious, exotically scented nose of gingerbread and lemongrass with a core of pineapple, green guava and mango plus a hint of honeycomb. The palate is big, rich, super opulent and sexy with fantastic texture, concentration and seamless freshness, finishing long.

2017 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay Lauren Estate has an arresting nose of lemon barley water, white peaches, grapefruit and toasted almonds with touches of croissant, lime leaves, sassafras and allspice plus a hint of candied ginger. Full-bodied and jam-packed with energetic citrus and spice layers, it has a gorgeous satiny texture and fantastic freshness, finishing very, very long with bags of grace!

2017 Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

The first vintage of this wine, the 2017 Chardonnay Powder House…aromas charge out of the gate exhibiting energetic ripe peach, grapefruit, green tea and sea spray notes with touches of candied orange peel, ginger ale and lemon butter. Full-bodied, very refreshing and beautifully creamy in the mouth, it has layer upon layer of citrus and spice flavors, finishing with amazing persistence.

2017 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate springs out of the glass with vivacious mandarin peel, white grapefruit and white peaches scents with nuances of yuzu, lime leaves, crushed stones and honeysuckle plus a spicy waft of coriander seed. The full-bodied palate is packed with energy, with a lovely racy line cutting through the intense citrus and spice notes, finishing with compelling, long-lingering mineral and citrus pip notes. Again, this should be stunning with 5-7 years in bottle.

2017 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2017 Chardonnay UV-SL is a little broody right now, slowly revealing notes of warm apricots, apple pie and pear tart with suggestions of crème caramel, honey toast, sassafras and lime blossoms with a hint of candied popcorn. The palate is full-bodied with a wicked backbone of freshness lifting the densely packed stone fruit and savory layers, finishing very long and yeasty.

2017 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95+ Points

The medium ruby-purple colored 2017 Pinot Noir CIX Estate has beautiful red raspberries, cranberry pie and Bing cherries scents with nuances of lavender, dried herbs, red roses and tilled soil plus a touch of underbrush. The palate is full, firm and grainy with lovely ripe tannins and a great core of vibrant red fruit, finishing long and perfumed.

2017 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

The 2017 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is medium ruby-purple colored with exuberant redcurrants, black cherries and black raspberries notes with hints of violets, chocolate box and rose hip tea. The palate is full-bodied with a firm frame of fine-grained tannins and amazing freshness, finishing very long and juicy.

2017 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2017 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard gives gorgeous black cherries, pomegranate, fresh blackberries and wild blueberries scents with suggestions of licorice, potpourri, chocolate tart and clove with a touch of dried Provence herbs. The palate is full-bodied with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the flamboyant black and blue fruits, finishing with an exciting herbal lift.

Mark Aubert’s Ambition:
The Napa native makes some of California’s most sought-after Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs

2016 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93

Offers a long embrace of oak, with subtle toast amid the taut green apple, fig and melon flavors, easing on the finish. Drink now through 2021.
–JL

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 93

Features a core of green apple, pear, honeydew melon and toasty flavors, showing a touch of pithy citrus in the texture, ending clean. Drink now through 2024.
–JL

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95

Powerful and well-framed, offering a seductive mix of green apple, pear and gooseberry flavors that feature savory accents. The creamy finish offers notes of honey, spice and smoke. Drink now through 2024.
–KM

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96

Voluptuous and creamy, with densely packed flavors of apple pastry, pear tart and peach and hints of mango that are long and rich. The plush, complex finish is filled with notes of spice and dried herbs. Drink now through 2026.
–KM

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Pure, precise and refined, with luscious apple, red peach and lemon curd flavors that are swathed in plush spiciness. Light smoky notes linger on the focused, minerally finish. Best from 2019 through 2026.
–KM

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 92

Vibrantly juicy, offering concentrated aromas and flavors of apple pastry, pear tart and lemongrass, supported by fresh acidity. The spicy finish is long and richly spiced. Drink now through 2022.
–KM

2016 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93

Well-honed, offering layers of concentrated white fruit flavors that are dominated by a deft mix of citrus, crisp apple and peach. The minerally finish lingers, with fresh acidity. Best from 2020 through 2025.
–KM

 

2016 Aubert Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Score: 92

The plum, raspberry and blueberry flavors are pure and direct, ending long and clean. Drink now through 2024.
–JL

Located in Napa yet pulling mostly from top sites in Sonoma and Carneros, Mark Aubert continues to work his magic with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These latest releases show the elegant, balanced style of the 2016 vintage, yet still have the rich, powerful, yet incredibly pure style that’s the hallmark of this brilliant estate. While the quality of the Chardonnays from Aubert is well known, don’t miss a chance to try his Pinot Noirs. These 2016s are unquestionably the finest to date. While there are few mailing lists worth being on, this is one of them!

2016 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

From an estate vineyard located just beside the Lauren vineyard, in the Sonoma Coast AVA that was planted in 2008, the 2016 Chardonnay CIX Estate comes from volcanic and goldridge soils and was brought up in 80% new French oak. It’s another wine that builds with time in the glass and offers a full-bodied, powerful, yet shockingly elegant profile. Incredible notes of caramelized white peaches, tangerines, white flowers, and ample salty, seaside mineral characteristics, as well as terrific purity, make for a singular, awesome Chardonnay to drink over the coming 4-6 years.

2016 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 100 Points

Another perfect wine is the 2016 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard, which comes from a site on the east side of the Russian River Valley. All from a suitcase clone from Montrachet, it has a perfumed, vibrant bouquet of caramelized green citrus, crushed rocks, orange blossom, and candied ginger. While it’s a full-bodied, powerful wine, it has an incredible sense of freshness and purity, with more saline/oyster shell notes developing as it sat in the glass. It’s another tour de force from Mark Aubert!

2016 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 99 Points

Borderline perfection, the 2016 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard has a liqueur of rocks-like minerality as well as more Burgundian candied lemon, white flowers, and oyster shell characteristics. Brought up in 80% new French oak, it has a deep, rich, concentrated profile, vibrant acidity, and remarkable purity.

2016 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

From the “King of Carneros,” the 2016 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons is one of the larger production cuvées from Aubert and comes from two Burgundian clones. Bottled in December, it gives up a huge bouquet of citrus, orange blossom, caramelized ginger, and toasted bread in a rich, opulent style that stays impeccably balanced and fresh. Brought up in 70% new French oak, it’s going to sing for 4-6 years, and last even longer.

2016 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

My favorite in the lineup (although they’d all qualify as a desert island wine) was the 2016 Chardonnay Lauren Estate. Brought up in 100% new oak and with a vibrant gold color (as well as a hint of green), it boasts off-the-chart aromas of caramelized orchard fruits, marzipan, orange peel, Asian spices and honeyed flowers. Deep, multi-dimensional, layered, and perfectly balanced, it hits the palate with a massive blast of fruit, yet is seamless and weightless. Don’t miss it!

2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 99 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate comes from a site in Napa Valley and is undeniably the most opulent and sexy in the lineup. Huge orchard fruits, lemon curd, white flowers, and orange liqueur notes give way to an opulent, thick and layered beauty that still just glides across the palate, with no sense of heaviness. While it was brought up in 80% new French oak, it’s absorbed every bit of it and is just a heavenly Chardonnay that could come from nowhere else.

2016 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

From a cooler site, the 2016 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is a perfect wine any way you look at it. Caramelized pineapple, marzipan, citrus, candle wax, and layers of complex Chardonnay fruit all flow to a beautifully pure, silky, perfectly balanced 2016 that has depth, freshness, complexity, and length. It develops even more complexity with time in the glass and is a brilliant effort from this estate. As with the other releases here, it was brought up in 80% new French oak.

2016 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2016 Pinot Noir CIX Estate is a darker, earthier effort that has a kiss of Côte de Nuit in its black cherry, savory herbs, scorched earth, and forest floor aromas and flavors. It’s powerful and concentrated, yet also silky and elegant, with fine, fine tannin on the finish. Drink it anytime over the coming decade or more.

2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

Leading off the Pinot Noirs, this is unquestionably the finest set of releases from the estate I’ve ever tasted, and it appears some of the magic Mark finds with his Chardonnays is finding its way over to the Pinot Noirs. The 2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is 100% Calera clone from a site in the Sonoma Coast and was brought up in 60-70% new French oak. It also saw around 10-20% whole clusters. Incredible ripe cherries, strawberries, exotic spices, blood orange, and floral notes all soar from this transparently colored, multi-dimensional, layered Pinot Noir that has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannin, and a finish that just won’t quit. It’s the finest Pinot Noir ever made from this address.

2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The 2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard flirts with perfect and is another incredible effort from the Sonoma Coast. Deeply colored, with ripe cherries, underbrush, black currants, graphite, blood orange, and forest floor notes, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ample tannin, a big mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. Despite being a rich, powerful wine, it shows remarkable elegance and purity, as well as a weightless, seamless texture. Brought up in 70% new French oak, drink it over the coming decade.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2026

Racy and unctuous in the glass, the 2016 Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is one of the most viscous wines in this range. This opulent, dense Chardonnay is going to need quite a bit of time to be at its very best, but it is impressive, even at this early stage. The CIX gets more new oak than most of the other Chardonnays, and yet the wood is very nicely integrated.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 95+
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2026

The 2016 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard is one of the more open-knit, accessible wines in the range, and the first of these Chardonnays I would choose to open. Orchard fruit, dried pear, flowers, almonds and mint are all laced together in this pretty, gracious wine. It will be interesting to see if the 2016 gains a bit more flesh over time. Today, it is a bit on the compact side.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

Aubert’s 2016 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is creamy, ample and expressive, but also light on its feet, as so many of these wines are. Chamomile, orchard fruit, lemon confit and melon notes fill out the wine’s frame effortlessly. The veil of reduction that is often found in the Hudson is present, but very much buried by the sheer intensity and richness of the fruit.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

The 2016 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons is so delicate, precise and nuanced. In 2016, the Hyde leans more towards the citrus end of the spectrum. Candied lemon peel and lifted floral notes are some of the signatures in this striking, beautifully delineated Chardonnay. In most vintages, Hyde tends to give a decidedly forward style of Chardonnay. Mark Aubert’s 2016 is all finesse.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

A thrilling wine, the 2016 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is the most expansive of these wines. The interplay of creamy fruit, acid and structure is utterly captivating. Medium in body, the Lauren is a wine of impeccable balance and understated class that makes its case more with finesse and pure power. This parcel is planted with a combination of Mt. Eden, Corton-Charlemagne, Hyde and Hudson Chardonnay clones. Perhaps it is that combination of clonal material that results in a wine of unusual complexity and layers. The refreshing, gracious finish only adds to the wine’s considerable appeal. In a word: superb.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96+
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2028

The 2016 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is powerful and phenolically intense. Orchard fruit, mint, white flowers and melon are pushed forward. Deep and ample on the palate, with tremendous structure, the 2016 has a lot to offer. Although very much tightly wound today, the Ritchie is one of the most promising wines in the range.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2026

The 2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack is one the more exuberant wines in this range. Orange blossom, honey, wild flowers and apricot are all laced together in this decidedly bold, ample Chardonnay. The Sugar Shack emerges from Aubert’s home ranch in Rutherford, planted with Montrachet clone. The balance of fruit and acids is terrific. Even so, the Sugar Shack will appeal most to readers who appreciate the flamboyant side of California Chardonnay.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2028

The 2016 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is powerful and also razor-sharp. Chalk, crushed rocks, mint and citrus peel give the UV-SL its distinctive energetic, focused feel. The UV-SL shows the distinct influence of elevation at this site perched at 1,200 feet above sea level. While many of the Aubert Chardonnays are overt, the UV-SL is much less forthcoming. Underpinnings of acid and structure add to the wine’s considerable appeal.

2016 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

The 2016 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard is a dense, powerful wine. I would be tempted to cellar the 2016 for at least a few years to allow some of the youthful exuberance to settle. Even so, the CIX is superb. Super-ripe red cherry, kirsch, lavender and mint all fill out in this perfumed, exquisite Pinot. There is an explosive energy to the CIX that is hugely appealing. Moreover, the CIX is the Pinot that brings together all of the best elements of Mark Aubert’s Pinots; aromatics, fruit and textural depth. This parcel is planted with clonal material taken from a top domaine in Burgundy’s Vosne-Romanée.

2016 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2026

Aubert’s 2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is fresh, fragrant and inviting. Sweet red cherry, mint, rose petal and lavender notes are nicely lifted in this attractive, mid-weight Pinot. Silky, sensual and nuanced, the 2016 has a lot to recommend it. A dollop of whole clusters introduces a lovely savory element to the UV.

2016 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2026

A powerful, rich wine endowed with tremendous drive, the Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most overt, flamboyant wine in the range. A rush of black cherry, game, blood orange and spice fills out the wine’s ample frame effortlessly. The UV-SL is the darkest and most obviously ripe of the vineyard designated Pinots. There is plenty of personality, that much is evident.

2009 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2019

The 2009 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is a pretty wine, but the ups and downs of the growing season, and resulting uneven ripeness, comes across in a mid-weight wine that doesn’t feel fully developed. I would prefer to finish any remaining bottles sooner rather than later, as it is hard to see the 2009 developing much more complexity or nuance. My memory of this wine upon release is more favorable than the impression I get from this bottle today.

2008 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

In this mini-vertical, the 2008 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard comes across as a cross between the 2005 and the 2007, with the layered feel and more mid-weight structure of the former, and a tropically-leaning flavor profile that resembles the latter. I don’t get the impression the 2008 is going to be one of Aubert’s more long-lived Chardonnays. For that reason, I would prefer to drink it sooner rather than later. Even so, at nearly ten years of age, the 2008 has developed very nicely. Today, it is super-expressive and a real joy to taste. It is one of my favorite wines in this vertical, second only to the 2005.

2007 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018+

The 2007 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard shows the natural richness of the year in its ample, richly textured personality. Here, the fruit is a bit more forward, with hints of honey, creme brulee and roasted almond that are all indicative of a wine that has reached full maturity. The 2007 might very well stay at its current plateau, but it won’t get better. All things considered, the 2007 has reached this stage of its life gracefully.

2005 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2030

The 2005 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is just as breathtaking as it has always been. Still wonderfully fresh and nuanced, the 2005 has a level of precision and total finesse that is simply alluring. Lemon confit, apricot, mint and white flowers are all finely sketched, but it is the wine’s overall balance and sense of harmony that are most alluring. Mark Aubert describes 2005 as a cool year with no heat spikes that produced a small crop. The 2005 Lauren remains one of my all-time favorite Mark Aubert wines.

2004 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2028

Hints of dried pear, almond, dried flowers, candied lemon and spice run through the 2004 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard. A wine of striking aromatic nuance and complexity, the 2004 is in a beautiful spot right now. I would prefer to finish any remaining bottles soon, as there is no upside from holding the 2004 further. This is an impressive showing.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate Issue 233

2016 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay CIX Estate is beguiling in its complexity and singularity, offering up scents of smoked nuts, waxed lemons, crushed rocks and coriander seed with hints of crusty bread, honeysuckle, baked peaches and clover honey. Full-bodied, full-on creamy and densely laden with layers of citrus and savory flavors, it has just enough freshness and wonderful length.

2016 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard is scented of lemon tart, baking bread, crushed stones, clover honey and shaved almonds with hints of pure, sliced pears and Golden Delicious apples. Full-bodied, elegant, fine and restrained, the silken palate has a quiet intensity, finishing long with savory layers.

2016 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard has a gorgeous nose of pear tart, aniseed, beeswax and honey toast with touches of salted almonds and a waft of baking bread. Full-bodied, rich and with a totally decadent creaminess to the texture, it features beautiful freshness and balance, finishing on a mineral note.

2016 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95-97 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard has a provocative savory/meaty nose with yeast extract, brine and nut nuances over a core of ripe pears and white peaches plus a waft of lime leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with stone fruit and savory layers, with a lovely oiliness to the texture offset by a racy acid line, finishing long.

2016 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Lauren Estate delivers incredibly intense grapefruit essence, lemon peel and green apple notes with touches of nutmeg, fresh ginger, lightly browned toast, marzipan and smoky meat. The palate is built like a brick house with a solid line of refreshing acid framing the complex citrus and spice layers, finishing long and savory.

2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate is opulent straight out of the gate, with stunning orange peel, candied ginger, nutmeg and ripe apricot with touches of cashews and croissant. The full-bodied palate explodes with expressive bread, nut, spice and stone fruit layers, marked by a lively line of acid that lifts the fruit and gives a long, gregarious finish.

2016 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-99 Points

The 2016 Chardonnay UV-SL has a very sexy nose of apple pie and apricot preserves over suggestions of coriander seed, fennel and chalk dust, plus a waft of orange blossoms. The palate simply sings with vibrant stone fruit and citrus peel flavors with a racy backbone cutting through the satiny texture, finishing with loads of lingering spice notes.

2016 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97+ Points

Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard bursts forth with baked cherries, red currant jelly and mulberries with touches of cinnamon stick, violets, baking spices and potpourri. Full-bodied, opulent and wonderfully spicy in the mouth, it has a solid frame of firm and grainy tannins with a seamless acid line and a very long, decadent finish. This wine was bottled in June 2017.

2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95 Points

Bottled in June 2017, the 2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard has a medium ruby-purple color and nose of Sichuan pepper, sandalwood, dusty earth and underbrush with a core of black cherries and black raspberries, plus a pretty waft of rose hip tea. Full-bodied, concentrated and with incredible intensity, the generous fruit is well supported by fine-grained tannins, finishing long with mineral nuances.

2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94+ Points

Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard sports a very earthy nose laced with underbrush, damp soil and mossy bark over a black fruit core plus a pretty perfumed undercurrent of sandalwood, aniseed and dried flowers. The full-bodied palate is big, exuberant, rich and firmly structured, with chewy tannins supporting the muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. Give it another year or two in bottle and drink it over the next decade.

2015 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay CIX Estate has the most alluring, singular, beguiling nose so that it cannot fail to impress. Revealing notes of candied ginger, nutmeg, aniseed, apple pie and pear tart, it delivers a full-on bombastic, richly fruited and decadently creamy palate, beautifully contrasted by a seamless line of freshness, finishing multilayered and with epic persistence. Wow.

2015 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 98 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard exudes butterscotch, allspice, baked pears and peach preserves with tantalizing honeycomb, salted caramel and popcorn hints. This rich, full-bodied powerhouse fills the palate with decadent, spicy stone fruit, marked by a refreshing line of acid and finishing with lingering wet pebble and savory hints.

2015 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 98 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is a toasty, nutty, baked peaches and pear tart sex bomb, with an incredible array of nuances on the nose conjuring notions of struck flint, earth, meat, baking bread and allspice. Medium to full-bodied, rich and oh-so-sensuous, it delivers incredible fruit, savory layers and a very long finish.

2015 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 97 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard is simply amazing with a level of intensity that is through the roof, strutting notes of lemon oil, candied ginger, pink grapefruit and orange blossom with touches of yuzu and brioche, plus a waft of green tea. Full-bodied, finely constructed, oily and yet with tons of zing, this is simply a blockbuster and a delicious one at that.

2015 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

A touch closed and youthfully shy to begin, the 2015 Chardonnay Lauren Estate soon powers up to reveal intense grapefruit, citrus peel, yuzu and honeyed pear notes over suggestions of crushed stones, struck match, baking bread and lemongrass. The palate is fine, fresh, elegant and incredibly layered, with the tightly wound layers offering glimpses at incredible depth, finishing long and minerally. Consider holding on to this one for another couple of years and drinking it over the next 12+.

2015 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97+ Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard offers up floral notes of jasmine and peach blossom over a core of apricot preserves, honeyed toast, beeswax and lemon butter, plus a waft of crushed stones. The palate is just beautiful, possessing incredible poise and restrained intensity juxtaposed by a rich, creamy texture and finishing with lingering mineral notes.

2015 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate is pure honeyed apricots and beeswax with suggestions of bread, salted almonds, croissant and a touch of aniseed. It is full-bodied, rich, intense, lifted, fresh and really well structured with a solid backbone, finishing long and sleek with some minerals.

2015 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 100 Points

Giving up zingy lemon zest and grapefruit notes with layer upon layer of chalk dust, marzipan, honeyed brioche and ginger plus a touch of coriander seed, the 2015 Chardonnay UV-SL has a full-bodied powerhouse of a palate that delivers the goods and then some. Perfumed, seductive and drop-dead sexy, this is a real show-stopper of a Chardonnay with intensity and structure to age gracefully over the next 15+ years.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98

Oyster shell and mother of pearl and dried apple. Some lemon undertones. Full body, very dense and powerful. Complex. The finish just melts. Exciting white. Drink now.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 98

Great aromas of stone, gun powder and sliced apple. Wow. Full body, dense and layered. Wonderful phenolic texture. Montrachet-like. Drink in 2020 but already superb.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96

Lots of ginger and sliced apple, pear, and lime skin aromas. Full body, stone and citrusy. Intense energy. Lemon pound cake. Drink or hold.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95

Another dense and layered Hudson chardonnay with plenty of cream and apple character. It’s soft and fresh. Almost thick. Maintains a freshness and energy in the big flavor profile. Drink or hold.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95

This has a fantastic linear and bright acidity with gorgeous cream, cooked apple and pear. Full body, tangy and minerally. Lovely and intense. Drink now or hold.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94

Lots of white pepper, stone and dried apples on the nose. Full body, oily and round with lots of delicious fruit. Juicy character. Drink now.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Sliced apple and lime. White flower undertones. Medium to full body, intense center palate of stone and pomace undertones. Very long and flavorful. Drink now.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97

Precise and beautiful aromas of cooked apple, lemon, biscuit and pie crust. Complex. Full body, layered and rich. Big and exciting but always fresh. Real Napa. So layered. Drink now.

2014 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 95

Layered and cool with aniseed, flint and green apple. Full body, intense fruit and a long and flavorful finish. Drink now.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

Stone and mineral aromas with sliced apple and lemon. Flint. White peaches. Full body, bright acidity and a tangy finish. Long and tight. Very long. Energy. Drink in 2019.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95

Lots of blueberry and blackberry aromas with hints of dried flowers. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a juicy finish. Bright fruit aftertaste. Spice. Smoky. Drink now.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

Blackberry and cherry, spice with hints of flowers on the nose. Full body, chewy yet polished and beautiful. This is a fantastic red with complexity and power. Drink in 2020.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

Dried strawberry and cedar with sandalwood on the nose. White pepper as well. Full body, round and rich yet austere at the finish. Love quality of tannins . Juicy and savory. Excellent intensity. Drink now or hold.

2014 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97

Great density and beauty with soy sauce and dark berry character. Full body, tightly wound and a long and flavorful finish. Extremely long and rich. A fantastic wine. Drink now. Why wait?

 

Mark Aubert describes 2015 as a year with tiny clusters that resulted from the cumulative effects of the drought and poor weather during flowering. The freakish weather resulted in a compact harvest that lasted about 3-4 weeks. Because of the natural concentration of the fruit, fermentations were long and protracted. In 2015, there is a marked difference between the Sonoma Chardonnays, where the heat spikes were limited, and those from Napa, where the Chardonnays are a bit blowsier. Sadly, yields are down by as much as 50%.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025

Mark Aubert’s 2015 Chardonnay CIX Vineyard is plush, rich and inviting. Here, the interplay of reductive aromatics and layered textures is compelling. Like the Sugar Shack, the CIX is planted with the Montrachet clone, and yet there is quite a bit more subtlety and nuance here.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2019 – 2025

The 2015 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard preserves good freshness and aromatic lift, especially for the year. In this tasting, the Eastside presents more of a phenolic character than most of the Chardonnays, with the fruit pushed into the background, while floral/savory/mineral notes are front and center. Of all of these Chardonnays, the Eastside shows the effects of its recent bottling most. At the same time, the rocky nature of this site really comes through in the wine’s feel.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2027

A rich, intense wine, the 2015 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard exudes power and intensity, but that is expressed in persistence rather than in textural weight. Smoke, slate, dried pear, mint and dried flowers are some of the hallmarks. This is remarkably precise for such a big wine. A touch of reduction adds complexity without being overly dominant.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025

The 2015 Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons is unctuous and ample in the glass. Apricot pit, peach, vanillin and candied lemon peel are beautifully delineated. Sumptuous and layered, the 2015 hits all the right notes. Today, the personality of the year masks some of the personality of Hyde, but the wine is impeccable in its balance just the same.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025

The 2015 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is a classic Aubert Chardonnay built on plush texture and a multidimensional personality of pure class. Dried pear, baked apple, dried flowers, mint and white pepper give the wine its aromatic top notes, but there is plenty of depth underpinning it all.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025

The 2015 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is laced with the essence of lemon confit, slate, white flowers, white pepper and orchard fruit. The flavors are intense and bright, but there is no shortage of richness or intensity. In 2015, the Ritchie seems to capture all of the very best qualities of the year. It’s a magical wine. Don’t miss it.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 93
Drinking Window: 2019 – 2023

The 2015 Chardonnay Sugar Shack, from Mark Aubert’s ranch in Rutherford, is rich, ample and creamy. This is an especially opulent, flamboyant Chardonnay built on serious texture and volume. Crème caramel, tropical fruit, lemon confit and white flowers infuse the huge finish.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2020 – 2025

A wine of impact and power, the 2015 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard captures the pure intensity and concentration of the year. Yields were down by a whopping 40%, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. Petrol, graphite and savory herbs open up with time in the glass, but the 2015 is naturally quite reticent and in need of time in bottle.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Drinking Window: 2019 – 2025

The 2015 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard is dark, sumptuous and explosive. Plum, mocha, spices and red cherry jam give the wine its racy, voluptuous personality. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s overt, flamboyant personality nicely.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Drinking Window: 2019 – 2025

The 2015 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is fabulous. Bright and floral, with striking freshness, the UV captures all the intensity that is typical of these Pinots while retaining considerable aromatic lift. Sweet red berry, mint, chalk and spice give the wine its brightness, poise and vivacity. This is the most energetic of the three Aubert vineyard-designate Pinots. Yields are down a whopping 50%.

2015 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93
Drinking Window: 2018 – 2025

The 2015 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the darkest and most concentrated of these Pinots. Super-ripe black cherry, plum and lavender are pushed forward. Big, ample and large-scaled in all of its dimensions, the UV-SL will appeal most to readers who appreciate big Pinots. I find a bit more complexity in the UV and CIX, but at this level, it really comes down to personal taste.

 

Robert Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate Issue 227

2015 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98-100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Cix Estate is 100% Montrachet clone and shows notes of liquified stones, quince, honeysuckle, caramelized citrus, and hints of tropical fruits such as pineapple and nectarine. This is a beauty of great intensity, richness and length – another remarkable Chardonnay from Aubert.

2015 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Eastside, from a vineyard owned by Ulises Valdez and planted with a suitcase clone from one of the Montrachet holdings in Burgundy, comes across with great ripeness (15.4% natural alcohol) compared to the 15.8% of the UV-SL. With loads of orange skin, buttered citrus, smoked hazelnuts and green apples, fabulous concentration and amazing minerality, this is another compelling Chardonnay from the genius of Mark Aubert that should drink well for a decade or more.

2015 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 96-98 Points

The 2015s start with the 2015 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard from Carneros. This is a dead-ringer for a Coche-Dury Meursult-Perrières. Made from an old Wente clone, the wine displays smoky hazelnuts, extraordinary citrus oil, nectarine and honeysuckle, a full-bodied mouthfeel, great acidity and not a trace of oak, which is always amazing in the Aubert Chardonnays, since they are aged for just under 12 months in 100% new French cooperage. This beauty should drink well for at least 10 years or more.

2015 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95-97 Points

His 2015 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons, like many of the 2015s and a consistent characteristic of most of Aubert’s wines, comes from mostly old Wente clones as well, and has a bright gold/greenish hue to its color as well as a big, sweet kiss of caramelized citrus, apple blossom, white peach and a touch of pineapple. It is a beautiful wine, with a full-bodied mouthfeel and a long, zesty finish. Anticipated maturity: now-2026.

2015 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Lauren Estate, from 17-year-old vines of primarily the Old Wente and Mt. Eden clones (but in the famous Goldridge soils that are so vital in the Russian River Valley), was the slowest to ferment, although it offers great acids, loads of nectarine and tangerine, honeysuckle, white currants, and no evidence of the 100% new oak it was aged in. This is another sensational effort, and like most Laurens will probably age for 10-15 or more years.

2015 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay Ritchie (from 43-year-old vines) offers loads of tangerine and orange tropical fruit notes along with brioche and citrus oil. Production was tiny on these old vines, exaggerated by the poor flowering. Produced from 100% Old Wente clone, this wine also shows wet gravelly minerality, terrific natural acidity from the super-concentrated, tiny berries, and a long, full-bodied finish. It should drink well for 10-15 years, possibly longer.

2015 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97-99 Points

From his only vineyard in Napa, the 2015 Chardonnay Sugar Shack is a hedonist’s delight. Fragrant, exotic notes of mango, orange marmalade, nectarine and pineapple soar from the glass of this full-bodied, beautifully fruited Chardonnay that shows not a trace of oak, has great acidity, and an almost vibrant energy-driven style that is remarkable. This is always one of my favorite cuvées to taste, and I have been a buyer every year that he’s been producing it. Again, this sees 100% new oak, but you would never know it.

2015 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97-100 Points

The 2015 Chardonnay UV-SL, which is also an Old Wente clone, and the coldest of all of the Aubert Chardonnay sites, should come close to being a perfect Chardonnay with a few years of age. Plenty of exotic fruits, intense richness, an incredible, fragrant nose of honeysuckle, orange marmalade, caramelized citrus, white peach and a subtle hint of pineapple are all present in this incredibly full-bodied, rich, thick wine buttressed by considerable natural acids. This wine should drink well for at least a dozen or more years.

2015 Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

Close to perfection is the 2015 Pinot Noir Cix Estate, which is reminiscent of a great grand cru Burgundy from Northern Côte de Nuit. Forest floor, porcini mushrooms, underbrush and loamy soil notes intermixed with hints of black raspberry, cherry and blueberry are followed by a full-bodied wine with 15% natural alcohol and great intensity, making for a prodigious Pinot Noir that should age gracefully for 10-15 years.

2015 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

The 2015 Pinot Noir UV is stunning, concentrated because of the tiny yields. The wine has a dense ruby color and a gorgeous nose of raspberries, forest floor, underbrush and blacker fruits. It is full-bodied, has good acidity, an ethereal fragrance and a long, long finish. It should drink well for 15 or more years.

2015 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93+ Points

The tightest of the three Pinot Noirs, was the 2015 Pinot Noir UV-SL. This Pinot Noir, made from equal parts Calera and a Vosne-Romanée clone, shows terrific fruit intensity, slightly higher acids and more tannin in a more backward style. It certainly needs time to fully unleash its considerable personality, and in a way, it seemed to suffer in comparison with its two more flamboyant siblings. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2032.

2014 Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

The virtually perfect 2014 Chardonnay CIX Estate, planted with a Montrachet clone on Goldridge soils, again exhibits amazing intensity, notes of wet gravel interwoven with apple blossom, caramelized citrus, apricot, white peach and honeysuckle. It is full-bodied, multidimensional and a profound glass of Chardonnay.

2014 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 98 Points

Absolutely profound is the 2014 Chardonnay Eastside, from the vineyard owned by well-known viticulturalist and farmer Ulises Valdez and planted with a suitcase Montrachet clone on a low-yielding root stock called Riparia Gloire. Smoky crème brûlée notes intermixed with white peach, nectarine, orange marmalade, honeysuckle and buttered apples all jump from the glass of this great Chardonnay that is Grand cru quality, incredibly pure, dense, and long.

2014 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95 Points

Aubert’s debut with the famous Hudson Vineyard is the 2014 Chardonnay Hudson, which comes across like a premier cru Meursault. This is made from 20-year-old Wente clones and shows smoky hazelnut and almond notes, buttery tropical fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel and a big, forward style. I’m not sure this will be the longest-lived of the Aubert 2014s, but it is certainly the most flamboyant and showy at this stage.

2014 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 95 Points

The 2014 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons has a greenish hue to its light-gold color, a fresh, lively nose of poached pears, citrus oil, honeysuckle, a hint of pineapple and tangerine. This is a beautiful, full-bodied Chardonnay to drink over the next decade or more.

2014 Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 99 Points

Flirting with perfection is the 2014 Chardonnay Lauren Estate, from 16-year-old vines, which offers great extract, richness, and plenty of honeysuckle, tropical fruit and citrus oil. The wine, showing its concentration because of the drought year, should easily last 12-15 years.

2014 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 97 Points

The old vines certainly show well in the 2014 Chardonnay Ritchie, with an almost Alsatian-like petrol nose that is starting to come on. This wine that is full-bodied, with incredible ripeness, purity and overall equilibrium, offers up plenty of tropical fruit and citrus, white peach and pineapple. The wine should drink well for at least another decade.

2014 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 97 Points

Another stunner is the 2014 Chardonnay Sugar Shack. This wine, which was harvested August 18, 2014, was one of the earliest picks Mark Aubert had ever done. The wine offers up great fruit, which includes notes of pineapple, green apple, honeysuckle and peach marmalade. It is full-bodied with exceptional purity, lingering across the palate. Drink it over the next 7-12 years. This is the only vineyard for Chardonnay that he has in Napa Valley.

2014 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96 Points

From a cold site, the 2014 Chardonnay UV-SL is from a dry-farmed vineyard. This seems to have been the most closed wine that I tasted of the 2014s. The wine has loads of citrus oil, real crisp, zesty acids (giving it a more compressed feeling that some of the other wines) and a long finish. Tipping the scales at 15.5% natural alcohol, it doesn’t have a trace of heat, but shows the strength, ripeness and intensity he has achieved. This is a long-distance runner of 10-15 years.