2019 Domaine Eden, Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA
Critics reviews
The overperforming 2019 Chardonnay Estate at Domaine Eden was produced from the lowest yields at the estate in two decades. It spent the usual 10 months in barrel, the youngest two years old. The nose is both showy and focused, with tropical fruit and citrus blossom aromas framed with a pleasant nuttiness. Tangy and vibrant on the palate with a long, poised finish, this vintage represents a particularly strong value.
Drink 2021 - 2027
Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate (April 2024)
About this WINE
Domaine Eden
Domaine Eden, nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, is an extension of Mount Eden Vineyards, acquired by the estate in 2007. This renowned property is celebrated for crafting approachable yet refined expressions of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon, using grapes sourced from its own vineyards. The cool, maritime climate and diverse soils of the Santa Cruz Mountains provide an ideal environment for growing high-quality grapes, resulting in elegant and complex wines.
What sets Domaine Eden apart is its commitment to sustainable farming and traditional winemaking techniques. Each bottle reflects the meticulous care and craftsmanship synonymous with the Mount Eden legacy. While Domaine Eden wines are more accessible in style than the age-worthy offerings of Mount Eden Vineyards, they still embody the same dedication to quality.
Santa Cruz Mountains
The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is a Viticultural Area that is based around the Santa Cruz Mountains in California. The appellation enjoys a large diveristy of micro-climates, affected by the mountain topography, the Pacific Ocean, and the nearby San Francisco Bay.
The wine appellation encompasses 1,500 acres of vineyards, dominated by mainly Pinot noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, with more smaller blocks of Cabernet Franc, Carignane, Dolcetto, Grenache, Malbec, Malvasia, Merlot, Mondeuse, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Viognier, Zinfandel.
Notable wineries in the appellation include: Bonny Doon Vineyard, Ridge Vineyards , Neely
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
The overperforming 2019 Chardonnay Estate at Domaine Eden was produced from the lowest yields at the estate in two decades. It spent the usual 10 months in barrel, the youngest two years old. The nose is both showy and focused, with tropical fruit and citrus blossom aromas framed with a pleasant nuttiness. Tangy and vibrant on the palate with a long, poised finish, this vintage represents a particularly strong value.
Drink 2021 - 2027
Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate (April 2024)
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