Laird Family Estate Chardonnay Big Ranch

Interesting: this showed very differently from a month ago - it had settled down to something far more recognizably Chardonnay, albeit still from neither the butter nor stainless camps. Had just a few sips at a party. Seems like it put on a little weight - it has some body now - and is less completely about lemon, with more grapefruit, tropical fruits, and mineral in the mix. A few others and I actually found this pretty nice, around cellar …

Very bright and lemony light middleweight, almost a little reminiscent of a feisty lemonade-y 2010 trocken Riesling. Which seems odd for a CA chardonnay: it's neither that familiar rich buttery stuff nor is it at all like an unoaked or less oaked minerally Macon chardonnay. I liked it well enough at the wtso price. Mellowing a bit in 2013 might not be the worst thing.

Big citrus nose and attack. Subsides to a smooth plesant floral and stone fruit melange. Lemon lingers. Really big and fermented at PnP, after about 1 hour it sang. Young and bold. 92/B+ = 50/5/12/9/8/8

too lemony and out of balance. http://bit.ly/mSA6BR