2016 Ma Douce Chardonnay

The 2016 Chardonnay Ma Douce is from a vineyard in Fort Ross Sea View not far from Marcassin, on the second ridge in from the ocean and located at 1,300-1,500 feet in elevation. The vines are Old Wente clones planted on Goldridge soils. It begins a little youthfully reticent, opening out to notes of warm peaches, grapefruit, pear tart and toasted almond with hints of baking bread and chalk dust. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a beautifully satiny texture with a racy line lifting the savory layers to a nice long finish. 650 cases were made.

Leading off the Chardonnays, the 2016 Chardonnay Ma Douce (which translates to “My Sweet”) is a rich, full-bodied, blockbuster effort that still stays incredibly pure, seamless, and elegant. Heavenly notes of crushed citrus, flower oil, brioche, toasted nuts, and ample crushed rock notes all emerge from the glass, and it has vibrant acidity and is perfectly balanced. It’s a world-class Chardonnay. I loved these latest releases from Luc Morlet and family, and they show a sensational mix of classic, balanced, even old-school, characters mixed with killer California fruit. As a whole, the 2014s show more elegance and complexity, with the 2015s possessing more power and richness. These are rockstar wines.

The 2016 Chardonnay Ma Douce is vibrant, poised and energetic, especially next to the 2015 tasted alongside it. All the elements are wonderfully fused together. Honeysuckle, apricot, mint and lightly tropical notes meld into the silky finish. This is a gorgeous Chardonnay in the making.