California Wines

wines

The second vintage to be bottled under this vineyard designation—the vineyard was planted in 2016—Aubert’s 2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue is a lush, full-bodied effort loaded with ripe-tasting stone fruit, set against a backdrop of white nectarine and fresh lime juice. Plump and creamy in the mouth, expansive and generous, it finishes with a savory hint of mocha. Sandwiched between Lauren and CIX, it’s a parcel that should yield even greater wines as the vines age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSucculent and lush, with buttery nuances to the apple pastry, toasted hazelnut and mouthwatering Honeycrisp apple, tangerine and Meyer lemon flavors at the core. This wine’s flavors and complexity gain momentum, ultimately achieving wonderful harmony on the long finish. Drink now through 2028. 1,644 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA tight and linear chardonnay with dried apples, lemons, honey, sea salt, and white pepper. Medium body. Solid and beautiful. Candied lemons. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue is laced with the essence of dried pear, spice, lemon confit, apple tart, spice and a hint of new French oak. There’s lovely depth and density here, even if the wine narrows a bit through the mid-palate and into the finish.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

This is amazing on the nose with dried strawberries, sandalwood, mahogany and tea leaf. Iron and rust underneath the fruit. Dried flowers, nutmeg and rose petals. Full-bodied yet agile and energetic with layers of fine dusty tannins. Entrancing finish. Give this four or five years in the bottle, but it’s hard not to drink.James Suckling | 98 JSRaen uses all whole clusters across the red wines. The smoky aromatics and pungent floral aromas of this wine are about the microflora of the vineyard. All native yeasts, unfiltered and unfined, with 10% new oak, crushed violets and stone, andsmoky clove aromas. Dark fruits that dance lightly across the tongue. Black tea, and pomegranate pulp are brighten by a squeeze of blood orange. The finish is lifted by white pepper and Chinese five spice. Seafield and Bodega vineyards comprise this wine dedicated to Robert Mondavi. (Tasted from bottle 15225.)Decanter | 97 DECThe 2022 Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert is striking. Vibrant and savory, the 2022 marries notable fruit intensity with strong floral, earthy and savory top notes. Bright red-toned fruit, orange peel, cinnamon, star anise and cedar lift from the glass. Deep and dense, yet also wonderfully crystalline, the 2022 is lights out. What a wine.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 2022 Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert comes from a ten-acre vineyard on the Sonoma Coast and pours a rich ruby hue. It reveals lovely, perfumed notes of framboise, mossy earth, tea leaf, and roses that lead to a medium-bodied red that’s pure and elegant all the way through, remaining pure and complex, with fine tannins and a lovely, balanced spice through the elegant finish. It’s fantastic now but will drink well over the coming 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDGrapes for the 2022 Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert were harvested on September 5. It has layered aromas of rhubarb, blackberry, tea leaves, bitters and earth. The light-bodied palate is silky, fresh and elegantly styled with detailed fruit and a long, spicy finish. 1,800 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThis shows character, with sage, pepper and chaparral notes peeking out from its core of blood orange and damson plum fruit. A singed balsam wood element frames the finish. Best from 2025 through 2031. 1,950 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

An amazingly complex, dynamic wine that demands your attention from the first sniff to the lingering finish. Aromas of redwood forest, rosemary, purple flowers and black cherries, then black tea, pomegranate, dark cherry, dried raspberry and wild mushroom flavors. Fine-grained moderate tannins and crunchy acidity give it such a firm backbone. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2023 Pinot Noir Royal St. Robert is redolent of floral, savory and citrus notes. I find it especially brilliant and crystalline. At the same time, the 2023 is pretty tightly wound. Rose petal, iron, tea leaves, incense and dried herbs open nicely with some coaxing, The colder growing season brings out the slightly gamier, wilder side of Pinot Noir along with plenty of brightening acidity in this mid-weight, taut Pinot from Raen. I would give this a year or two in bottle at a minimum.Vinous Media | 93 VM