Bernardus Sierra Mar Vineyard Chardonnay 2011
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Enthusiast
Wine -
Parker
Robert
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
We have chosen three from among the several clones of Chardonnay planted here: the celebrated Wente Clone and Dijon clones 95 and 96. As usual at Bernardus, we use only hand-picked and sorted grapes for our wines.
On the nose we find aromas of ripe apple and pear with notes of orange blossom and caramel. The palate is beautifully rich with flavors of baked pear and candied orange peel, with hints of fresh, creamy butter accented by cinnamon and nutmeg. The finish is long and well-structured promising wonderful ageing potential for this delicious wine.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a very fine, distinctive Chardonnay that's tight and streamlined. It's tangy with lemony acidity and a brisk minerality, but there’s also plenty of tropical fruit, apricot and honey flavors as well. Creamy notes of buttered toast and lees add richness to the palate.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Almost as good and offering more stone fruits, pear, citrus rind, flowers and brioche, the 2011 Chardonnay Sierra Mar Vineyard is vividly defined and pure on the palate, with beautiful acidity and a lengthy, seamless finish. As with the Rosella’s Vineyard, it is a thrilling Chardonnay that will drink nicely through 2016 or beyond. Drink now-2016.
Other Vintages
2021-
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine
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Enthusiast
Wine
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Parker
Robert
Pon appreciates wine as an art-- a form of art that transcends the ordinary. His dream with Bernardus is to make a red wine equal to the finest from Bordeaux. To achieve this purpose, Ben, a Dutchman who could have planted vineyards anywhere in the world, has chosen the Carmel Valley for his estate vineyards and winery. Since the early 1970's, there has been a growing awareness of the outstanding potential for Bordeaux varieties from this new viticultural appellation. The Bernardus estate vineyards of Marinus and Featherbow Ranch are located in the Cachagua region of the Carmel Valley. We have been told that Cachagua is the Spanish word Native Americans used for deep or hidden water. It has been said that Native Americans believed that all things in nature were sacred and interrelated. Their respect for balance in nature is carried on in the vineyards of Bernardus. More than 300 live oaks have been preserved to thrive among carefully planted vines.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.