Vine Cliff Winery

At $60 this is somewhat of a splurge, but well worth it. It is also very limited. Only 200 cases were produced, of which half were sold out at press time. The other half are available only through the winery. This reserve was produced from the winery’s top lots of Chardonnay from their estate vineyards in Los Carneros. As the wine was unfined and unfiltered, I would recommend decanting it in the event natural sediment has formed. Decanting it will also showcase its natural beauty.

Bright, rich golden yellow, and viscous with well-marked legs, this wine has intoxicating notes of butter, marzipan, violet, nilla wafer, peach, and apple pie. Decadently creamy and fluffy like an overstuffed down pillow, or freshly whipped cream, the wine has flavors of caramel apple, bananas foster, and toasty oak. While overall acidity is low, it does kick up on the finish, giving a sense of refreshing lightness and the desire to take another sip. This would be delicious with a bite of lobster or Dungeness crab dipped in drawn butter, seared wild King salmon with a beurre blanc sauce, or Michael Mina’s Phyllo-dusted Dover Sole with Dungeness crab brandade.

Reviewed July 10, 2007 by Catherine Fallis.