2016 Black Kite Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

14.4% alc., pH 3.44, TA 0.61, 140 cases, $58. Dijon clones 76, 95, and 96. Aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 66% new. · Moderate golden yellow in the glass. This is an oak-inspired Chardonnay offering aromas of toast and brioche along with pineapple, lemongrass and honey. Richly fruited and intensely flavored, offering tastes of pineapple, yellow apple, tropical fruits and a bit of oak-driven toast and coconut. The fruit assaults the palate with purpose, yet the experience benefits from adequate acidity. The mouthfeel is slight viscous and comforting. This wine is a dead ringer for the Aubert style of very expensive Chardonnay that many Chardonnay lovers are enamored with. Score: 92. Reviewed November 2, 2018

Winery: Black Kite Cellars
From article: 2016 Black Kite Cellars: Sumptuous Pinot Noirs