Shibumi Knoll, Buena Tierra Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley

Left bottle open for about 1 hour. Deep yellow color, beautiful nose of pears and yellow apples. Nice acidity and full, creamy body, lots of minerals, slightly buttery, with pears, apples, and peaches. Layered and complex, with a bit of vanilla and barrel spice on the lingering ending. This is an excellent Chardonnay - complex, modern but without sacrificing the fruit, full bodied but not heavy. I loved the notes of custard in the mid-palate. I think it could still …

2010 vintage

Popped and poured. Beeswax, orchard fruit and vanilla tones. Rich texture. A nice wine though not worth the tariff if this was a representative bottle.

2017 vintage

Oxidized

2011 vintage

This is just entering a great drinking window as the acidity is balancing out the luscious fruit. My first encounter with this producer’s Chardonnay. When compared to my other fav CA producers (Morlet, Peter Michael, Paul Hobbs) this more than stands up. Intriguing spearmint note that keeps this from being heavy, imparting a touch of welcome freshness. No rush to drink but absolutely worth opening at this juncture.

2017 vintage

On its inevitable downhill 😢

2011 vintage

Getting old unfortunately

2011 vintage

good balance smooth like silk

2017 vintage

Still shines, too bad it's my last

2011 vintage

Delicious on a hot summer day.

2011 vintage

very good. A solid choice for summer drinking

2017 vintage

Nose: Covid Taste: this wine has a lucious heavier feel in your mouth. Steel, stone, lemon, with a smooth finish. I live this wine.

2017 vintage

truly exceptional only 200 cases produced- springtime, green apples, the aroma after a fresh rain

2017 vintage

Wonderful. Tremendous harmony. Drinking perfectly.

2017 vintage

Not nearly as good as a previous bottle. This is surprisingly light in color. With time and air it improved but the acidity was not integrated. I could almost detect a hint of sour milk (maloactic acid?). Again, good but I've had better.

2011 vintage

Great example of what Californian Chard. can be; rich, smooth, layered, lots of minerals, butter, citrus, honey - and great length. This goes on and on, very fresh and lively indeed.

2011 vintage

Outstanding. One of America’s best.

2011 vintage

It's even better than I remember it! Wow! The balance, flavor evolution, the perfection, it's all there. Some may find the oak a little too much, but I found it perfectly integrated and not a dominant element at all. Our bottle was still fresh. The cork came out cleanly. This wine should last a few more years. All in all, one of the very best chardonnays we have ever tasted.

2011 vintage

Excellent. Very good balance and lift.

2011 vintage

I'd put this right up against any other high end Napa/Sonoma Chardonnay. A bit darker and taking on an aged profile but still pure and focused. Thanks to SD-Wineaux for opening.

2011 vintage

Wow!!! We gave this 2 hours of air and drank at room temperature. Rich and opulent, yet creamy and elegant. Beautiful!!!

2010 vintage

Amazing for an older CA chardonnay. Rich, slightly sweet, and wonderful. Citrus, tropical, and a hint of mineral flavors carry this wine. It is unlike anything else labeled Chardonnay in my experience. It won't last much longer though.

2010 vintage

Dark gold. Smooth and delicious.

2011 vintage

Taking on an aged profile but still so delicious. Caramel and cotton candy are there and more pronounced with age.

2010 vintage

Popped and poured. This is a rich golden wine with notes of honey, pineapple, marshmallow, and popcorn on the nose. This is rich and lush with some lingering sweetness on the finish. Overall, this is a large rendition of Chardonnay. It is a wine of pleasure, not nuance. 91 points.

2011 vintage

A Few Wines with BBQ (Chez Whitehead - Northbrook IL) : Small glass, brief note. Enjoyable, but just dominated by its ripeness right now. Some structure on finish gives me hope.

2011 vintage

Popped and poured. This is a rich, golden wine. On the nose, I get caramel, honeycomb, beeswax, and apricots. The mouth is mid-weight, with some immediately sweet aspects that pull through into continuing creamy traits and a finish of lingering custard. Overall, the wine is a bit fat and gets tiresome. I like Chards with more verve. Nevertheless, this is reasonably well done for the style. 89 points.

2010 vintage

Drank over 3 days and got better each day. Initially upon opening very stringent. Needed time to blossom.

2011 vintage

Pop and pour. Wife said she had a pungent smell. I thought it was fine as maybe her glass was tainted. Over all enjoyable. Had better.

2011 vintage

Enjoyable on a hot evening. Good color and palate feel.

2010 vintage

Fantastic color and fruit, delightful to drink as it got better in the glass over several courses.

2010 vintage

Consistently great. As good as any Chardonnay in California.

2011 vintage

Wow. Best Chardonnay I have ever tried. No idea how this will age, but I wouldn't take the chance. Opened and given 30 minutes to breathe, this was poured into Zalto Burgundy glasses and just instantly gave of intense notes of honeycomb, lemon zest, candied orange rind, some white flowers, a hint of almonds. Just the essence of how I want my Californian Chardonnay to taste. I should have bought more bottles...

2011 vintage

Deep and rich. Showing a bit of age, but great.

2010 vintage

very heavy and full - good stuff but it needs drinking up

2010 vintage

Great color, great acidity to balance with the fish we had. Good flavors, not over powering, very smooth.

2010 vintage

Has a golden appearance. Tastes great with citrus and creame brulee notes. Wow is this good!

2011 vintage

Crowdpleaser

2011 vintage

Delicious.

2011 vintage

Nice color, light on the palate, good citrus fruit, tasted and reworked for tomorrow.

2010 vintage

Fantastic CA Chardonnay! Heck, it's possibly the finest chard. we've served regardless of origin. Rich, full, and ultra clean with kind of a creamy citrus taste and mouth feel. Nice brilliant yellow in the glass.

2011 vintage

A full style chard with lemon curd, lychee, and some buttery oak. It does a great job of not over doing the oak while still making its presence known. Nice.

2011 vintage

Consistent with previous notes, but more balanced, clean and crisp. IMO, this may be the best Chardonnay I have ever tasted.

2011 vintage

Really good cali chard!

2010 vintage

Once again this is big and flashy but so delicious! Caramel, cotton candy, light to medium lemon. I think previous vintages had a touch more citrus/acidity. This is top notch new world Chardonnay.

2010 vintage

This is clearly the best Chard made in CA. 96-05, 96-12 and the 2011 deserves the same WS great rating. The only great white burgundy like wine made in the US!!!

2011 vintage

AWESOME

2010 vintage

Staggeringly beautiful! Drank over the course of the evening. Pale golden yellow in the glass. Nose of sweet white flowers and citrus. Tastes very lightly oaked with lots of citrus and tropical fruit flavors in a complex blend.

2010 vintage

Golden yellow. Hint of lemon, sea, and ?talc on nose. Very smooth palate with iodine, lemon and butterscotch. Less mineral driven than other vintages. Very nice!

2010 vintage

Very clean color, sweet, no oak,going to only get better

2010 vintage

Extraordinary. I really like Shibumi's style, elegant and well balanced. Every aspect looks just right in this wine、though it is not as rich as 2009. (which turned out good for me)

2010 vintage

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Shibumi Knoll, Buena Tierra Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley

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