2017 White Wine

Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: Hailing from Josh Jensen's iconic vineyard at 2,200 feet above the Salinas Valley, this is an epic Chardonnay, loaded with clean, lively aromas of cherimoya, honeysuckle, sweet cream, crisp peach, struck flint and chive...

Decanter, 95 points: Enticing candied citrus fruit and spice with an exquisite mineral undertone; super clean and tense with a sumptuous texture and a long, harmonious finish.

Wine Enthusiast, 94 points: The second vintage from this site, the Martinelli family's Charles Ranch, this white shows salt and mineral characteristics from the start. Floral, earthy and herbal, it has a light touch of richness to the apple and pear...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points: Ma Douce comes from a vineyard in Fort Ross-Seaview—not far from Marcassin Vineyard. It is planted mainly to Old Wente clone selection. The 2017 Chardonnay Ma Douce comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notes of...

View From The Cellar, 93 points: Véronique Drouhin’s Cuvée Arthur has long been one of my favorite chardonnay bottlings in all of Oregon and the 2017 vintage is a stellar example of this fine wine. The wine comes in at 13.9 percent octane and wafts from...

Wine Enthusiast, 93 points: Elton's quarter-century-old vines bring a complex mix of aromatics—yeast, flowers, herbs and even chicken stock. The wild yeast ferment adds texture and length to a high acid wine with Meyer lemon and ripe grapefruit...

Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: From a block planted in 1972 by the famous farmer, this outstanding white showcases salty stone and turned earth, with dried herb, baked lemon and green apple layered between powerful complexity and lasting elegance...

Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: From a site farmed by the Martinelli family to the producer's specifications, this white is quenching in a depth of acidity, with cool-climate freshness throughout. Gravenstein apple, clove, Meyer lemon and nutmeg provide...

Burghound, 92 points: (90-92 points) Aromatically this is similar to the regular cuvée with two exceptions, which are that the mildly exotic aromas are riper and are trimmed in enough wood to merit mentioning. As is always the case there is...

Wine Enthusiast, 92 points: This is a nicely made wine, its oak barrel-influence up front yet subdued. Caramel, lemon curd and graham cracker are complemented by mineral components of stone and sea air in addition to an impressive lift of tangerine...

Wine Enthusiast, 94 points: Silky smooth and sculptured in crisp apple, pear and integrated oak, this showcases the famous site in all its complex glory, with accents of baking spice and brine. Medium bodied, it displays richness within a context of...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 91 points: (91+ points) The 2017 Chardonnay Cahill Lane, from Wente clone vines, features white peach, Bosc pear, gunflint hints and rocky notes with toasty and citrus character. The palate is light to medium-bodied and lightly...

Decanter, 93 points: From the cooler Eola-Amily Hills, also on volcanic soils, this opens with alluring aromas of petrichor and more time in the glass reveals smoky Mirabelle plums and radiant freshness. This vivid brightness is also apparent...

Burghound, 93 points: (91-93 points) The wood is a bit more obvious though not intrusive on the green fruit, white flower and iodine-scented aromas. The exceptionally rich full-bodied flavors also possess fine density thanks to the abundant...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 90 points: There are 13,000 bottles of Cognard's delicious 2017 Montagny 1er Cru Les Bassets, a pretty wine that wafts from the glass with scents of honeysuckle, peaches and pears. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny...

jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: Leading off the Chardonnays from Hobbs, the 2017 Chardonnay Russian River Valley comes from multiple sites and spent ten months in 55% new French oak. Its medium gold color is followed by a rich, upfront bouquet of...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 90 points: The 2017 Chardonnay Grace Benoist Ranch leaps from the glass with scents of peach cobbler, pineapple upside-down cake and green guava with hints of butterscotch and preserved ginger. Medium-bodied, the palate has a lovely...

jamessuckling.com, 91 points: Sliced dried-lemon and green-apple aromas and flavors. Cooked apples, too. Full-bodied, flavorful and delicious. Opulent white. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink now.

jebdunnuck.com, 95 points: One of the finest Sauvignons from California, the 2017 Sauvignon Blanc Ritchie Vineyard (100% Sauvignon aged 18 months in 40% new oak) is a serious, concentrated effort that competes with any number of Bordeaux Blanc out...

jamessuckling.com, 94 points: A very impressive array of peaches and lemons with wet stones and flinty, minerally notes, offering plenty of interest. The palate has a sleek and composed shape with a central focus of fresh, fleshy fruit and a...

View From The Cellar, 95 points: 95+ The 2017 Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec is a stunning wine in the making. The bouquet offers up a superb constellation of apple, pineapple, quince, very complex minerality, honeycomb, orange blossoms and lanolin. On the...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 91 points: The 2017 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Le Charmois reveals pretty aromas of pear, fresh peach, white flowers, blanched almonds and wet stones. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, racy and precise, with more tension and cut...

Wine Spectator, 93 points: Butterscotch, vanilla, pear and smoke aromas and flavors showcase this elegant white, intensified by the vivid structure. Spice and toast notes play out on the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2021 through 2028. 222 cases...

jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: The 2017 Chateau Pape Clement Blanc showed spectacularly well and is one of the wines (if not the wine) of the vintage. Based on 55% Sauvignon and 45% Semillon aged 14 months in barrel, it offers powerful notes of honeyed...

jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: I loved the nose of the 2017 Chassagne Montrachet, and it has a classic, elegant reductive minerality that people in California would kill for. Crushed citrus, white flowers, crushed stone, and spicy notes all emerge from...

jamessuckling.com, 95 points: Wow. A glorious chardonnay that I have been admiring for decades. It’s full-bodied with layers of ripe apple, hints of white peach and nougat and vanilla undertones. Creamy. It’s full-bodied and gorgeous all the way...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: The 2017 Esprit Blanc de Tablas is made up of 68% Roussanne, 17% Grenache Blanc, 7% Picpoul Blanc, 4% Picardan and 4% Clairette Blanche. The nose features honey-drizzled apples, lychee, orange peel and musk with warm hay...