2009 Coup de Coeur Chardonnay

The 2009 Chardonnay Coup De Coeur is all tangerine, mint, apricot jam and honey. There is no shortage of depth or concentration, but those qualities have been achieved with a loss of freshness, energy and length. Today, the 2009 Coup De Coeur comes across as heavy. The Coup de Coeur is a selection of the estate’s best barrels, but when I taste this wine I am always inclined to think that less is more. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2017. I was quite frankly amazed by the range of wines I tasted with Luc Morlet. The wines span everything from single-variety Chardonnays, Pinots and Syrahs to Bordeaux-inspired blends. La Proportion Doree is a Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend with a dash of Muscadelle. Morlet’s Billet Doux is a late-harvest version of that wine, but with fruit just from Alexander Valley. Passionnement is Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards in Oakville, while Coeur de Vallee is Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, also from Oakville. Mon Chevalier is a Bordeaux-style blend made from vineyards in Knights Valley. Morlet Estate, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from St. Helena, is the newest wine in the lineup. Tel. (707) 967-8690; www.morletwines.com

(15.4% alcohol; a selection of the best barrels from Morlet's two chardonnay sources; he looks for "complexity, ageability and seamlessness, not necessarily for power"): Bright yellow-gold. Complex aromas of orange, honey, minerals, coconut and vanilla. Wonderfully generous and glyceral: this really melts in your mouth. For all its concentration and plumpness, this is magically vibrant and firm. I like the fact that this wine is made with just one-third new look, like Morlet's other chardonnays. Finishes with palate-staining persistence.