Wine Spectator – Spring 2020 – Producer Spotlight
Mark Aubert’s Opulent Chardonnays
Napa Valley–based vintner Mark Aubert is one of the top producers of California Chardonnay. He draws on his own estate sources, along with a bevy of leading vineyard sites in Sonoma and Napa counties, to make richly flavored and voluptuously textured wines.
Aubert excels by using traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques, such as 100 percent barrel fermentation and aging mostly in new French oak, to deliver wines that are full-bodied and balanced, with a surplus of opulent fruit flavors backed by vibrant acidity.
The top-scoring Powder House bottling represents just the second vintage for this wine. It is sourced from Aubert’s fourth estate vineyard, which covers 8 acres in the town of Forestville, also home to his Lauren and CIX sites.
The 2018 vintage overall was cool, offering many wines that are powerfully structured and backed by firm acidity. – Kim Marcus
2018 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Features a steely structure, with concentrated freshly cut apple, brioche and Asian pear flavors, supported by crunchy acidity. Pure and minerally midpalate, offering a long finish that echoes with subtle sea salt and chamomile accents. Best from 2022 through 2027. —K.M.
2018 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard Russian River
Score: 94
A vibrantly crisp version, with notes of dried savory herbs to the freshly cut green apple and Asian pear flavors. Offers intense minerality, showing smoky accents on the powerful and well-structured finish. Best from 2022 through 2026. —K.M.
2018 Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
Score: 92
Concentrated poached pear and apple pastry flavors are plush and open-textured. Shows juicy richness midpalate. Buttery pastry notes linger on the finish. Drink now through 2024. —K.M.
2018 Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros
Score: 93
Broad and rich, with seductive smoky notes to the ripe apple and pear pastry flavors. Buttery accents show midpalate, leading to an intensely spicy finish. Drink now through 2025. —K.M.
2018 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Refined, with vibrant acidity backing the precise white fruit and spice flavors. Pure midpalate, showing minerally nuances. The finish lingers with lithe, savory richness. Drink now through 2027. —K.M.
2018 Aubert Chardonnay Powder House Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 96
Smoky richness accents the concentrated apple and peach pastry flavors, supported by steely acidity. Luscious spiciness emerges midpalate, with a long finish that lingers with intense minerality and sea salt details. Best from 2022 through 2027. —K.M.
2018 Aubert Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate Vineyard Napa Valley
Score: 92
Creamy and honeyed notes accent the lusciously spiced flavors of ripe peach and baked apple. Toasty and buttery on the juicy finish. Drink now through 2024. —K.M.
2018 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 94
Lithe, with notes of dried thyme to the Gala apple and pear tart flavors, rich and pure. Toasty accents show midpalate. The long finish is filled with flinty and minerally components. Best from 2021 through 2026. —K.M.
2018 Aubert Pinot Noir CIX Estate Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 93
Elegant, featuring open-textured flavors of linzer torte and cocoa powder. Hints of hot spices show midpalate, with a fresh, pure-tasting finish. Drink now through 2025. —K.M.
2018 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 95
Powerful and structured, with minerally richness to the fine-edged red fruit and savory spice flavors. The sleek finish offers impressive purity and clarity to the notes of hot stone, flint and underbrush. Best from 2021 through 2026. From California. —K.M.
2018 Aubert Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard Sonoma Coast
Score: 92
Refined, with juicy richness to the mouthfilling flavors of raspberry tart, cherry compote and boysenberry. Crisp midpalate, leading to a fresh, spicy finish. Drink now through 2025. —K.M.
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Articles and Reviews
- The Wine Independent - November 2024 - Playing It Cool
- Wine Spectator - November 2024
- Wine Spectator - September 2024 Issue
- Wine Spectator - July 2024 Issue
- The Wine Advocate - July 2024
- James Suckling, Weekly Tasting Report - June 2024
- Vinous - May 2024
- The Wine Independent - September 2023 - Location, Location, Location
- Wine Spectator - June 2023
- Vinous - January 2023
- The Wine Advocate - December 2022 - Spotlight on Aubert
- James Suckling, Purity and Zest from Napa and Sonoma - November 2022
- The Wine Independent - September 2022 - The Citrus Circus
- Vinous - May 2022 - 2011 Napa Valley at Age Ten
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Press Archive
- Wine Spectator - Spring 2021 - Producer Spotlight
- The Wine Advocate - January 2021 - Spotlight on Aubert
- Vinous - January 2021
- James Suckling, Weekly Tasting Report - December 2020
- Wine Spectator - Spring 2020 - Producer Spotlight
- Vinous - January 2020 - 2017 & 2018 Napa Valley In Depth
- The Wine Advocate, Issue 245 End of October 2019
- Wine Spectator - July 31, 2019 - Annual Chardonnay Report
- Vinous - May 2019 - Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond
- James Suckling, The Good and the Bad of Sonoma - November 2018
- The Wine Advocate, Mid-October 2018 New Releases
- Wine Spectator - July 31, 2018 - Annual Chardonnay Report
- June 2018 - Jeb Dunnuck
- Jan 2018 Vinous - Antonio Galloni
- The Wine Advocate Issue 233, October 2017
- May 2017 - James Suckling
- Jan 2017 Vinous - Antonio Galloni
- The Wine Advocate Issue 227, October 2016
- Jan 2016 Vinous - Antonio Galloni
- The Wine Advocate Issue 222, December 2015
- Jan 2015 Vinous - Antonio Galloni
- The Wine Advocate Issue 216, December 2014
- Wine Spectator Insider - July 30, 2014 Semi-Annual Report
- Jan 2014 Vinous - Antonio Galloni
- The Wine Advocate Issue 210, December 2013