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The 2019 Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard is laced with the essence of crushed rocks, white pepper, orchard fruit, white flowers, chalk and mint. It is a bit less forthcoming than the Alpine Chardonnay. Saline notes build into the palate staining finish. This classically austere young Chardonnay just needs time in bottle. Tasted next to the Alpine, the Horseshoe has more mid-palate weight and feeling of phenolic intensity. The differences between the two are remarkable considering the sites are just 400 yards apart. The Horseshoe is planted on Monterey shale, while the soils at Alpine are Purisima, a formation that is about 8 million years younger. Such is the complexity of the Santa Cruz Mountains.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGRipe Meyer lemons, crushed stone, white flower, and exotic spice notes all emerge from the 2019 Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard. Rich and medium-bodied, it has a beautiful mid-palate, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It shows the slightly more rounded, supple style of the vintage, yet I love its density and length. Give it a year or two and enjoy over the following decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD(Chardonnay “Horseshoe Vineyard”- Rhys Vineyards (Santa Cruz Mountains)) The 2019 Horseshoe Vineyard chardonnay from Rhys is one of the low octane whites from the winery in this vintage, as it comes in at a cool 12.3 percent. However, the wine is very expressive on the nose, wafting from the glass in a refined blend of apple, pear, fruit blossoms, a beautiful base of soil tones, a touch of hazelnut and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is vibrant, full-bodied and tightly-knit, with lovely intensity of flavor and transparency, a fine girdle of acidity and a long, nascently complex and promising finish. This will need a few years to open up, but should prove to be a long-lived and lovely middleweight once it is ready to drink. (Drink between 2024-2035)John Gilman | 93 JG

The 2019 Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard is all spice and lemon cream to begin, with undertones of almonds, pastry and jasmine that come through as it airs in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is textural and energetic, its citrus-and-mineral character and tangy acidity underpinned by nutty tones that drive the long finish. It has the freshness, texture and intensity for a long life in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2019 Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard is earthy, powerful and savory. Deep and complex, the Rinconada Chardonnay is beguiling, but also a bit eccentric. As such, it is a wine that requires attention and time because it is not especially forthcoming.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

The 2019 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard has pure aromas of tangerine, lime peel and apricot with nuances of meringue, honey and almonds. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and expansive, with rounded acidity and chalky mineral character driving the extended finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2019 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is an ethereal, gracious wine that captures all the pedigree of this old-vine section in S&B. White flowers, mint, lemon peel, orchard fruit, chalk, crushed rocks and white pepper give this translucent, nuanced Chardonnay myriad layers of nuance.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

The 2020 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard comes from vines planted in the 1970s. It was matured for 12 months in 35% new French oak and finished with six months in stainless steel. This shows the impressive concentration and generosity that could have defined the style of the 2020 vintage before the wildfires hit. Youthful tones of crème brûlée and toast give way to citrus blossoms, lemongrass and apricot on the nose. The medium-bodied palate pairs generous, honeyed fruit and a luxurious, mouth-coating texture with laser-like acidity that compels you to take another sip, and although the Arista wines generally age well, there’s no reason to wait for this—drink it over the next 3-5+ years. 650 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPLeans into tropical notes of pineapple and mango, with fresh citrus accents, an elegant, soft body and fresh acidity that gains momentum on the long, expressive finish, where a touch of toasted green tea and honeyed, toasted sesame lingers. Drink now. 650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2020 Chardonnay Powder House is ethereal and gracious in feel. Effusive aromatics give the Powder House its lifted personality. White pepper, chalk, mint and lemon oil add quite a bit of brightness. The balance here is driven by energy and vibrancy more than by volume.Antonio Galloni | 90-92 AG

A cool, late-harvest site relative to Aubert’s other sources, the 2020 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons also sees a bit less new French oak (50%). Readers will note that the oak made virtually no impression on me, as the wine bursts with aromas of ripe, honeyed melon, balanced by bright lime notes. Full-bodied, creamy and lush on the palate, this is just a pleasure to drink, finishing long and zesty.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis stunning version opens with a rich impression, with candied ginger, marmalade and honeyed overtones to the core of fresh fruit flavors, including notes of pear, apple, melon and citrus. Hints of orange blossoms and minerality mingle with fresh acidity, while a nutmeg-dominant wave of spices gain momentum on the long finish. Drink now through 2033. 1,538 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSA big and juicy white with cooked apple, pear, honey, and mineral. Flint. Full and layered with a flavorful and delicious finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JS

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

Coming from the Santa Lucia Highlands and brought up in 60% new French oak, the 2020 Chardonnay East of Eden Pisoni Vineyard is another stunner, offering a mineral-laced bouquet of stone fruits, chalky minerality, white flowers, and toasted bread. With incredible purity, medium to full body, and perfectly integrated acidity, it brings remarkable intensity and richness while staying vibrant, balanced, and light on its feet, with flawless balance. It picks up a liqueur of rocks-like sensation aromatically and on the palate with time in the glass (I followed this bottle for multiple days) and will drink brilliantly over the coming 7-8 years, although there’s no need to delay gratification.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2020 Chardonnay Pisoni Vineyard East of Eden is precise, nuanced and full of character. The 2020 has a bit more freshens than is often the case, but that is not a bad thing. There’s a bit of vintage 2020 edginess, typical for a year in which fruit was picked very early, but all things considered, this a strong showing. Hints of lemon peel, white flowers, mint and tangerine oil linger.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

The nose of the 2020 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille is layered with fresh and citrus tones, with lime blossom, white flowers, and lemon pith. The mouthfeel is stony and has more tension while still having a classic viscous feel.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDExquisite, with a generous, fleshy core of ripe peach and apricot flavors, which mingle effortlessly with salted butter notes of fresh pastry, lemon blossom and clipped herbs. The frame is silky and smooth, with fresh acidity weaving in and out, keeping the flavors fresh and focused. Drink now through 2030. 1,636 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2020 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille comes across as quite tight and mineral, with hints of pencil shavings and toasted almond accenting pineapple and lime. Medium to full-bodied, with ample richness and generosity, it finishes long and lean, with a mouthwatering edge to the citrus flavors.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPVery floral and foresty on the nose, with bark, green pine needle, lemon curd and dried apple. Perfumed. Medium-bodied, dense center-palate. Flinty and spicy. Some blanched almond. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

This full-bodied, incredibly rich and mouth-filling wine from a near-legendary vineyard saturates the palate with poached pears, marzipan, vanilla bean and crème brulee flavors, while being subtly lifted by a slice of tangy citrus that keeps it well balanced. Best from 2026–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEThe 2020 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is mineral-driven and powerful and offers a strong sense of place. Its aromas segue from iodine and saline to creamy citrus. The medium-bodied palate explodes with concentrated, savory fruit and tones of beeswax and flint. Its acidity is racy yet seamlessly integrated, and it has a very long, shimmery finish. It tastes clean and has what it needs to age, but because of the challenges of the 2020 vintage, I would lean toward drinking it on the younger side after a couple of hours in a decanter.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPStunning, with a mouthwatering mix of Honeycrisp apple, Meyer lemon, tangerine and pear flavors that come across as powerful, sleek and exact. Reveals toasted green tea, fresh grated ginger and loads of citrus zest grace notes on the fresh finish. Drink now through 2030. 535 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Great depth comes with impeccable balance in this beautifully proportioned wine that is silky and bracing at the same time. Bright acidity mingles with ripe Bosc pears, cream and toast flavors that linger nicely on the finish. Collectible and age-worthy, it will only improve with time. Best from 2026–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2020 Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard has pretty scents of baked apples, honey, roasted almonds and honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and expansive with a core of savory fruit balanced by bright acidity, and it finishes long and layered.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPFleshy, with honey-drizzled crisp apple, pear and melon flavors, plus spice accents that add warmth to the fruit core. Reveals a hint of graham cracker crust that lingers on the harmonious finish. Drink now through 2029. 765 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Great flavor concentration and a nicely taut structure define this beautifully balanced wine. It is refreshing and rich at the same time, carrying light lemon zest and green-apple skin accents on a delicious base of quince and Gravenstein apples, while gently coated with subtle shades of toasted oak. Best from 2026–2036. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2020 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard was harvested on August 17th before the wildfire smoke arrived, and with its pure, mineral-driven expression, it’s worth cellaring for several years. The nose opens with iodine and nori tones that give way to pretty scents of panna cotta, spring honey and lilac. The medium-bodied palate is buzzing with shimmery acidity that enlivens its perfumed fruit, and it has a long, saline-driven finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPShows juicy apple and pear flavors that are crisp and sleek, with lemon meringue, ginger and tropical hints on an appealingly dense, fleshy frame. Delivering details of toasted herbs and minerality, this is harmonious and expressive on the long finish. Drink now. 359 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2020 Chardonnay Patterson Vineyard opens with tempered matchstick-like reduction that gives way to nuanced aromas of baked apples, quince, lemon and lime blossom and toast. The medium-bodied palate strikes a fine balance between satiny, concentrated fruit and focused acidity, and the finish is long, layered and detailed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA strong mineral streak of rainy sidewalk and chalk kick off the focused nose of this bottling, which opens ever so slightly toward lime pith, jicama and nectarine. The chiseled stone texture and flavor of the palate is pleasantly relentless, wrapping around the light lime and green-lemon flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2020 Chardonnay Patterson is quite powerful. It shows a distinctly mineral and savory profile that is intriguing, but also bit out of character for the Sta. Rita Hills. Sage, mint, dried flowers and lightly honeyed notes are pushed forward, while fruit is very much in the background. It’s a compelling wine in this stellar lineup from Sandhi.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGJuicy acidity and a note of salted caramel mingle with mango, green apple and tangerine flavors at the core of this succulent white, which is vibrant on the finish. Drink now through 2027. 229 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2020 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is beautiful and expressive this vintage with a singular personality that combines mineral character with full, ripe fruit and soaring floral character. White peach, nectarine and acacia are complemented by touches of charcuterie, beeswax and flint on the nose. The palate unfolds its exotic, perfumed flavors slowly, boasting an expansive, mouth-coating texture and sparks of juicy acidity calling you back for another sip on the long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2020 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is an astoundingly beautiful wine. Exotic, wild and beguiling, the 2020 possesses striking aromatic presence and gorgeous overall depth. Orange peel, spice, lemon oil, mint, ripe pear and hazelnut build in an unctuous, layered Chardonnay that dazzles from start to finish. Superb!Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2020 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (20% new French oak) has a touch of chamomile in its perfumed aromatics of golden apple, honeyed toast, spice, and subtle green almonds. Complex and nuanced aromatically, it’s medium-bodied on the palate, has high yet nicely integrated acidity, terrific balance, and outstanding length.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDCrisp and light aromas of apple, honey and tangerine peel are mellow and delicate on the nose of this vineyard-designate bottling from one of California’s most historically important vineyards. The grippy texture is well managed on the palate, as it lingers long through citrus peel, nectarine and salted, almost savory white fruit flavors. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

Looking at the flagship estate Viognier, the 2021 Viognier Estate boasts a vibrant, medium to full-bodied, incredibly focused and mineral-driven profile that reminds me of a Condrieu from pure granite soils. Tangerine oil, honeyed flowers, brioche, and citrus notes all emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and one heck of a great finish. I finished my note with "Love it." As I’ve written in the past, no one in the New World does Viognier better than John Alban.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2021 Viognier Estate is tremendously expressive and vibrant! It’s layered and complex on the nose, segueing from savory matchstick to exotic, musky perfume, candied peaches and tangerine oil. The palate offers flesh and unctuousness without fattiness, full flavors that are tempered by a powerful textural bite and flinty streaks and energetic acidity that combine to create an alluring, shimmery finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

From a somewhat warmer site on thin, volcanic soils overlooking the Russian River, Eastside—originally a collaboration between Ulises Valdez and Mark Aubert—features a Montrachet selection planted on riparia rootstock. Despite plenty of new French oak in the élevage, there’s only a faintly fumé, crushed-stone character on the nose, which nicely sets off the wine’s white peach and lime notes. Full-bodied and generous but sturdily built, with an imposing structure, the 2021 Chardonnay Eastside is powerful and long on the finish. The crop was virtually wiped out by a spring frost in 2020, but the vines rebounded in 2021, yielding 1,400 cases.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2021 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard marries textural richness and vibrancy in grand style. There’s terrific energy here, the result of poor, stressed soils that naturally limit yields. Bright acids and veins of minerality drive this focused Chardonnay. Citrus, orchard fruit, ginger and light tropical accents build into the intensely saline finish. Superb.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThis shows a seductive oily texture with pineapple, lime, lemon, cooked apple, and a little brioche. Some green mango. Lots of minerality. Full-bodied. Layered with amazing acidity. A very contrasting wine with richness and liveliness. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JS

Floral, non-fruity hints of crushed stone and talcum powder appear on the nose of Aubert’s 2021 Chardonnay Powder House, creating an attractive counterpoint to the wine’s honeyed richness and intense white-peach notes. Full-bodied and silky in feel, it’s a bit custardy in texture yet lithe, graceful and long, with an almost mentholated finish. There are 2,000 cases this vintage, from a Forestville vineyard planted in 2015 mainly to Hyde Old Wente, plus a bit of Mount Eden.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPLove the aromas of lemon-lime, gunpowder, kiwi, and dried lemons. It’s full, phenolic and solid. This is like red wine in structure. Long and persistent. One for the cellar. Give this some time. Best after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay Powder House is elegant, polished and also a touch reticent. That won’t be an issue in time, but the Powder House is decidedly reticent today. Strong mineral accents are front and center, while the fruit feels pushed into the background. Mark Aubert’s Chardonnays have historically aged quite well. I expect that will be the case here as well.Vinous Media | 94-96 VM

Pie crust with brioche, lemon meringue, lime leaf, and blackboard chalk. Very aromatic. Full-bodied, with terrific structure and incredibly complex on the finish with seaweed and umami. Sea breeze, iodine and oyster finish. Superb wine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay UV-SL comes from largely Goldridge soils in parcels owned and managed by the Valdez family (UV being the initials of Ulises Valdez, Aubert’s frequent vineyard collaborator, who died in 2018). There are 2,000 cases of this elixir, which offers up classic notes of toasted hazelnuts, white peaches and citrus zest. It’s full-bodied, rich and opulent yet contained and controlled, with great silky length and energy. Aubert describes the oak thusly: "The oak is perfect. It just kisses you with a bit of vanilla and cookie dough." The wine is certainly delicious, and thinking back on it, I wonder if my rating is a bit conservative.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2021 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard is one of the more exotic wines in the range. Initially a bit ethereal, the 2021 opens beautifully on the mid-palate and finish, where it shows tremendous breadth and notable mineral intensity. The UV-SL is not quite as obvious as some of the other wines in this range, but its pedigree is evident. There’s real density here, and tons of class.Vinous Media | 95-97 VM

This is very unique in character, with sliced apple, honeysuckle and lavender. Spearmint, too. It’s medium-bodied with some pine and cooked-apple character in the palate. Flavorful, yet sophisticated and thoughtful. Minerally, compact and focused. 31-year-old vines. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JSPacks precise flavors of ripe peach, apricot and salted preserved lemon, with lime accents and a savory thread of minerality. Offers a vibrant mouthful of acidity that keeps the flavors in focus, while a hint of dried lemon verbena peeks in on the finish. Drink now through 2029. 1,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2021 Chardonnay One Sixteen, matured for 14 months in 34% new French oak, takes some time to shake off its youthful crème brûlée and allspice tones to reveal apricot, beeswax and honeysuckle aromas. The medium-bodied palate offers powerful fruit and oak spice and satisfying freshness to lift the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Coming from a cellar selection and a tiny production release, the 2021 Chardonnay Kokoro has exotic aromatics of tangerine, citrus oil, tropical flowers, and spice that give way to more racy citrus and minerality with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced, it’s another heavenly Chardonnay from Lato that readers will love. Give bottles a year and enjoy through 2031.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2021 Chardonnay Kokoro is especially fine in this vintage. It marries the energy of the year with some of the textural richness readers have come to expect from Paul Lato. Orchard fruit, marzipan, mint, tangerine and white flowers build effortlessly. The Kokoro, Lato’s top Chardonnay, is superb in 2021.Vinous Media | 95 VM

I tasted the 2021 Chardonnay Belle Côte as a finished tank sample the day before it was bottled. From vines planted in 1990, it was matured for 12 months in 40% new French oak. It offers lush aromas of baked apples and apricots, jasmine, biscuit, nutmeg and cream with spicy, floral nuances arising as it airs in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and expansive with streaks of flint and focused acidity to balance its generous fruit. Expressive and inviting, it’s a pleasure to drink now, yet the way it transforms in the glass suggests it will also develop positively in the cellar over the next decade or more. 2,159 cases were made, and it will be released in February of 2023.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RP