Mount Eden Vineyards Estate Chardonnay (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2013
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Wine Enthusiast
One of the greatest Chardonnays made in California each vintage, this bottling blends riper elements of yellow peach and honey with the tension of tangerine rind and pink-grapefruit pith on the nose. The palate is very energetic and tangy, with orange peels, crushed sea shells and a touch of salt hanging from an extremely well-chiseled structure.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The product of yet another drought vintage, the 2013 Chardonnay Estate is one of the great, age-worthy examples of this wine from Mount Eden's modern era. The nose is layered and evolving, dominated by tropical and orchard fruits, popcorn kernels, biscuits and chamomile. The palate straddles a glossy polish and impressive attack, with a finish that is notably more study and upright than surrounding vintages. Despite the numerous negative ramifications of drought vintages, the remarkable tension and tenacity displayed in these Chardonnays is some silver lining, however small.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
I have been following the Mount Eden Vineyards Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnays since their first vintages in the early 1970s, and the wines continue to impress. The ultra-rich 2013 is a class wine from start to finish. Stays long and persistent on the palate; it shows ripe citrus, core fruit flavors, and bright minerality, which last long into the finish. Drinks nicely now with great aging potential in the cellar. (Tasted: August 22, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
Very distinctive, with a unique profile of flinty limestone, minerally citrus, green pear, honeydew and honeysuckle flavors, enlivened by zesty acidity, floral scents and a long, mouthwatering aftertaste that keeps repeating the core themes. Has an excellent track record for aging. Drink now through 2023.
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Tasting Panel
The 2013 Chardonnay is especially ripe and voluptuous in this vintage because of the drought, almost unusually so. Yellow peach, candied orange peel and pineapple are front and center. The good news with the 2013 is that it will drink well early, but the bad news - if it can be called that - is that the wine is a bit on the overt side. Voluptuous, racy and oily, the 2013 will drink well with minimal cellaring. The 2013 finishes with a real sense of weight and textural richness that only adds to its considerable appeal.
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Mount Eden Vineyards is a small historic wine estate perched at 2000 feet overlooking Silicon Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountain Appellation, about 50 miles south of San Francisco. Founded in 1945, it is recognized as one of the original “boutique” California winery properties, focusing on small lots of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Mount Eden’s lineage of estate bottled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is the longest in California. Planted in austere, infertile Franciscan shale on a cool, exposed mountaintop, these low-yielding estate vineyards have consistently produced world-class wines for over a half-century. In 2007 Mount Eden acquired an additional 55 acre wine estate in the Saratoga foothills, which was christened Domaine Eden.
Mount Eden Vineyards also produces non-estate Chardonnays from the central coast, primarily Edna Valley. They have great success making Chardonnay from the Wolff Vineyard and are continually recognized as making outstanding wines from that region.
Since 1981 Jeffrey Patterson has guided the winemaking and grape growing at Mount Eden. His emphasis is on wine growing rather than winemaking; and an obsession with gentleness and naturalness in the handling of the grapes and wines is his ongoing passion.
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.
A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.