2017 Ferren Wines Chardonnay Silver Eagle Vineyard

The 2017 Chardonnay Silver Eagle Vineyard comes from Wente clone vines that are now 12 years old. The nose begins with toast, gunflint and charcuterie before opening out to honeycomb and hay accented by citrus peel and saline. The medium-bodied palate is power delivered in a featherweight package, concentrated but silky and fresh and finishing layered.

More white flowers, brioche, honeysuckle, Meyer lemon, and apple blossom notes emerge from the 2017 Chardonnay Silver Eagle Vineyard, a remarkably pure, balanced, classic Chardonnay that does everything right. It's not as exuberant or exotic as the Frei Road yet is just pure, clean, and beautifully put together. I suspect it will also benefit from a year in bottle, but it's already hard to resist.

The 2017 Chardonnay Silver Eagle Vineyard is a decidedly overt wine laced with copious notes of tropical fruit, passion fruit, popcorn, sweet oak, butter and lemon confit. The rich, sumptuous style will appeal most to readers who like the more flamboyant side of Chardonnay.