2003 Aubert Chardonnay "Lauren"

Named after Mark Aubert's daughter, the 2003 Lauren is a cherry.  The overriding impression I came away with was the duality.  Intense layer after layer of flavor somehow tempered with elegance and lightness.  This seeming contrast is overwhelming. There seems to be a pinpoint somewhere in the middle of the wine that brings all this into perfect focus. 

Am I waxing a little too zen?  This shit is freaking good. 

If you are a chardonnay fan, however un-vouge(?) that may be, its quite an experience. A bit of minerality and citrus serves as the foil to the wonderful tropical fruit and carmel flavors.  A nice acidity keeps it hopping on the finish.

Marc puts the majority of his focus on the vineyard selection and management and then uses rather traditional Burgundian practices to make the wine.  All of the vineyards are located in northern Sonoma on cool hilltop locations.  Natural yeasts, malolactic and barrel fermentations, sur lie aging, and new French oak barrels are all employed to let the fruit shine.  And the flavors are vivid.

I would pair this with a rich fish like escolar or some cream based sauce.

As high scores from Parker, Spectator, and Tanzer suggest this is a project on the rise.  Mark is also currently the winemaker at Colgin. Previously mark had stints at Rutherford Hill in Napa and spent 10 years at Peter Michael under Helen Turley. 

Steve Tanzer:

Rated: 94
($65; five-year-old vines) Cool, subdued aromas of green apple, lime skin, aromatic oils and iodine; distinctly Burgundian. Then large-scaled, fat and sweet but fresh; offers great richness without undue weight. Finishes with real palate-staining persistence. These five-year old vines include clones from Hyde, Hudson Mt. Eden and Calera. Like the Rueling Vineyard wine, the finish here is amazingly long considering the youth of the vines. But then crop levels in both of these vineyards were just over one ton per acre in 2003.

Robert Parker:

There are 300 cases of the 2003 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard (situated next to the Reuling site). This stony, terroir-driven effort offers up terrific scents of licorice, white currants, lemon zest, orange rind, and a hint of tropical fruits. While full-bodied, with zesty acidity, a liqueur of stone component, and a monster finish, it is also elegant and light on its feet. I can only think of one or two other California producers who made anything close to the quality of this riveting Chardonnay in 2003. It should drink well for 5-6 years, possibly longer.

Comments

[Alder]

I LOVE Marc's Chardonnays. They are phenomenal.