Varner Wine Amphitheater Block Spring Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA

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The 2009 Chardonnay Amphitheater Block emerges from the glass with layers of fruit. It shows gorgeous up-front richness, then finds its center of minerality on the mid-palate. It is a large-scaled, beautifully balanced wine loaded with personality. Smoke, minerals and citrus linger on the multi-dimensional, saline finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. These three Chardonnays from Jim and Bob Varner are made from three blocks the Varners planted in the early 1980s in the Portola Valley. They are fairly large-scaled wines that at the same time retain considerable minerality and structure in a style that is distinctive of the Santa Cruz Mountains, but that stands apart from the lusher, oakier style of wine many people associate as typical of California Chardonnay. The wines are fermented with natural yeasts and stay on their lees in barrel with no rackings until they are prepared for bottling. The 2009 Chardonnays are big, imposing wines. Nevertheless, my instincts say they will offer their best drinking before age 10 or so. Readers should do whatever they can to taste these majestic Chardonnays. Unfortunately the 2009 Pinots had just been bottled and I was not able to taste them.Tel. (650) 321-4894; www.varnerwine.com

The 2008 Chardonnay Amphitheater Block reveals serious notes of lemon butter, white peaches, crushed rocks, flowers, brioche, and pineapple. There is terrific fruit on the attack and mid-palate, wonderful underlying acidity buttressing its full body, an impressive texture, and a long finish. Remarkably, these are not grafted vines, but are directly planted, so it is amazing Varner has not had any problems with phylloxera, which usually destroys ungrafted vineyards. This cuvee should drink well for 5-8+ years. Along with Mt. Eden, these are my favorite Chardonnays from the Santa Cruz Mountain appellation. Following a succession of remarkable wines over recent vintages, the 2008s are a superb success, combining the great complexity one finds in the finest white Burgundies with the ripe, exuberant, showy fruit of California. All possess wonderful minerality and acidity with only subtle differences between the different blocks. All are barrel-fermented with indigenous yeast from the vineyard, are put through full malolactic fermentation, and are aged 8 months in barrel.Tel. (650) 321-4894; Fax (650) 321-4893

The 2007 Chardonnay Amphitheater Block reveals tremendous minerality as well as abundant buttery lemon oil notes, a crisp, steely component, medium to full body, excellent texture, and lots of acidity. It is completely different from Chardonnays made further north. This Santa Cruz Mountain operation is an outstanding, still under-the-radar source of terrific Chardonnay. This area has never had problems with phylloxera, so these are all from the directly rooted (no vines grafted on root stock) Spring Ridge Vineyard.Tel. (650) 321-4894; Fax (650) 321-4893

The 2006 Chardonnay Amphitheater Block comes from 27-year-old vines aged in about one-third new French oak. It is a gorgeous wine, with poached pear, caramelized peach and apricot notes, and background minerality. It is fresh, full-bodied, powerful, yet at the same time, elegant and long. This wine should drink well for another 5-6 years. These are superb Chardonnays. 2006 was a long, cool growing season in the Santa Cruz Mountains, without any of the botrytis problems for Chardonnay or Pinot that inflicted Carneros and the Russian River. Written up in the World’s Greatest Wine Values report in Issue 178, but still worth mentioning is the $16 Varner 2007 Foxglove Chardonnay from San Luis Obispo. It is an outstanding wine and easily one of the great values for Chardonnay in the marketplace.Tel. (650) 321-4894; Fax (650) 321-4893

The Burgundian styled cuvees of Chardonnay, which are all barrel-fermented with about 40% or so of new oak and virtually all made from old Wente clones of Chardonnay, include the Batard-Montrachet-like 2005 Chardonnay Ampitheater Block. A big honeysuckle nose intermixed with poached pears, lemon butter and some subtle wood is followed by a wine of terrific intensity, beautiful texture, full body, and terrific underlying acidity and minerality. This is a beauty to drink over the next 4-6 years. Tel. (650) 321-4894; Fax (650) 321-4893