Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard 2012

WA95-98: Mark Aubert farms 39-year-old vines in the famous Ritchie Vineyard. At 1,200 cases, the 2012 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is the largest production cuvee of these Chardonnays. It reveals a more evolved nose of smoky hazelnuts, honeysuckle, and tropical fruits, less minerality, and full-bodied unctuosity buttressed by crisp acids. It is a fatter, richer, complex, more California-styled Chardonnay that should drink well for 6-8 years.