Three Sticks, Gap's Crown Vineyard, Chardonnay, 2020, 14.2% abv.
Quest for butter.
Nose: light yellow flowers, sap, pears and apples, hint of unripe oranges, very reserved for some reason. Interestingly enough, after finishing one glass, the glass has strong aromas of vanilla, caramel, and cream.
Palate: medium body, entry is sour pears, sour citrus, mid palate shows a light 50-50 mix of anjou and bosc pears, hints of golden apples, a good amount of vanilla butter, honey butter, pure caramel, caramel drizzeled on vanilla ice cream, thick cream, but not quite toasted hazelnuts status, slight reductive presence on the back palate of burnt sesame seeds, alcohol. The alcohol becomes more prevalent on the back palate with each sip.
Finish: short, metallic pears, attenuating apple sauce, lychee, light vanilla cream, alcohol. Could even smell/taste the alcohol on retro.
Vernacular: nose quite reserved with light orchard fruit with floral elements. Medium body of good acidity, sweet oak elements, with minimal minerality, but alcohol is distracting. Finish is short and reflects a condensed representation of the palate.
This is quite nice, the acidity and vanillin appeared to work well together even though the alcohol interferes from time to time. Surprisingly the aromas were very reserved. Reminds me of a 2019 Vincent Girardin Pouilly-Fuisse v.v. Wine Spectator gave it 93 points. Was gonna be generous but the alcohol is distracting.
Grade: C+
by starvinggigolo