2011 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard

The 2011 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard (another small cuvee of 279 cases) is made from old Wente clones and sees about 60% new oak. One of their sexier Meursault-styled wines with pronounced hazelnut notes, smoky tropical fruit and a rich, fleshy mouthfeel, this is a beauty, but unfortunately there’s not a whole lot of it. Patz and Hall has a long and enviable track record, making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from some of the very finest single vineyards in Northern California. They rarely miss a beat, and the wines are “sure bets” regardless of vintage conditions. The current group of 2011s and early-released 2012s once again prove the consistency of these wines, which cut a very attractive synthesis in style between the more austere Burgundian model and the riper, more fruit-laden California style. As one can see, these are consistently well-made wines from Patz and Hall that merit significant attention from all serious wine consumers. The Pinot Noirs from Patz and Hall tend to be cold-soaked prior to fermentation for 3-4 days, and depending on the vintage, the grapes are usually uncrushed whole clusters with normally around 10-20% stems utilized. Tel. (877) 265-6700