2021 Arnot-Roberts, Trout Gulch Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA
Critics reviews
The 2021 Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard is a model of precision and class. Pure and crystalline, the 2021 is superb. I would give it a few years to settle down, but all the elements are in place. Lemon peel, chalk, mint, white flowers, sage and crushed rocks abound in this striking, riveting Chardonnay. The 2021 is just pristine. This is what Trout Gulch Chardonnay is all about.
Duncan Arnot and Nathan Roberts presented an absolutely stellar collection of wines this year. The 2021s are simply magnificent from top to bottom. Some of the highlights include the Haynes and Trout Gulch Chardonnays, both of which are sublime. The highs get even higher in the Syrahs, all three of which are sublime. The Que Syrah Syrah might be the single most thrilling wine I have ever tasted from Arnot and Roberts.
Drink 2024 - 2031
Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (August 2023)
Sourced from 40-year-old heritage Wente vines planted in a forested canyon just miles from the coast, this steely, saline wine highlights a more savoury, earthen expression of California Chard. Richly textured, almost sinewy on the palate, yet vibrant in acidity, it's a powerful wine that should open beautifully through this coming decade.
Drink 2021 - 2033
Anna Lee C. Iijima, Decanter.com (February 2023)
About this WINE
Arnot-Roberts
Based in Healdsburg, in the heart of California's Sonoma County wine region, Arnot-Roberts was founded in 2001 by Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts, who met while working at a wine shop in San Francisco. The winery is known for its commitment to producing small-lot, single-vineyard wines through its collaboration with several vineyards throughout California, including sites in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and Mendocino County. They focus on sustainable and organic farming practices, and many of their vineyards are certified organic or practice organic farming methods.
Arnot-Roberts produces a range of wines, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. They are known for their minimalist winemaking approach, which allows the natural characteristics of the grapes to shine through in the finished wines.
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.
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Description
The 2021 Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard is a model of precision and class. Pure and crystalline, the 2021 is superb. I would give it a few years to settle down, but all the elements are in place. Lemon peel, chalk, mint, white flowers, sage and crushed rocks abound in this striking, riveting Chardonnay. The 2021 is just pristine. This is what Trout Gulch Chardonnay is all about.
Duncan Arnot and Nathan Roberts presented an absolutely stellar collection of wines this year. The 2021s are simply magnificent from top to bottom. Some of the highlights include the Haynes and Trout Gulch Chardonnays, both of which are sublime. The highs get even higher in the Syrahs, all three of which are sublime. The Que Syrah Syrah might be the single most thrilling wine I have ever tasted from Arnot and Roberts.
Drink 2024 - 2031
Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (August 2023)
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