Chardonnay 'Woolsey Road'

Score

96

"Woolsey Road benefits from two pillars of the Chardonnay world: it originates from the Hyde family™s cuttings of Old Wente and is farmed by the third and fourth generations of the Martinelli family. This Chardonnay showcases a remarkable flavour intensity, with rich citrus fruit"lemon, lime, and grapefruit zest"woven with oyster shell minerality. Restrained yet brimming with tension, this wine has so much going on. A real depth of fruit and mineral integrity is evident, though it remains somewhat shy, biding its time. Make no mistake"this will blossom into a rich and excellent wine, fully deserving of its high praise. It is focused and laser-like in its precision, with remarkable restraint and tension."

Score

96

"The 2022 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard comes from Wente selection vines planted in 2007 by the Martinelli family. The grapes were harvested before the Labor Day heat wave on August 17, and the wine was barrel-fermented. It underwent full malolactic conversion and was matured for 20 months in 20% new French oak barrels. It has slowly unfolding scents of honey, orange blossom, crème brûlée and matchstick. The palate is taut and energetic, with focused acidity and slowly opening stone fruit flavors. As it warms in the glass, it reveals exuberant tropical and honey tones, and it has a tremendously long finish driven by its luxurious, mouth-coating texture. It will benefit from several years in the cellar."

Score

95

"A broad, generous yet firmly textured white that has an almost chewy texture and vibrant, lively, crisp citrus and green apple flavors. So distinctive, fresh and structured. From a 3-acre plot of of older vines on a Martinelli family property. An ideal wine to cellar for a few years. Drinkable now, but best from 2030."

Score

95

"Leaps out of the glass with vibrancy, offering notes of hard lemon candy, ginger tea, grilled peach and ripe, salted melon. Lemon zest, lemon verbena and chamomile aromatics add to the complexity, while a fabulous thread of acidity keeps the flavors in focus and the finish fresh and long. Drink now through 2037."M.W."

Score

94

"The 2022 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is another dense, ample wine in this range. The Woolsey Road has a good deal of phenolic intensity. There's real breadth and resonance here. Lemon confit, white pepper and dried herbs are nicely amplified."