Tasting Notes

Release Date: Spring 2021

You could say that great mountain Chardonnays and Mount Eden are synonymous with each other. The same can be said for our Domaine Eden Chardonnays. Our growing and winemaking style is consistent throughout our lineup. Given that all of our vineyards are high elevation and dry-farmed, we pick early to preserve natural acidity and low pH. Minimal intervention in the cellar allows the wines to reflect our terroir.

2018 was beautiful. Harvest began in the first half of September under optimal conditions. The wine was then aged in French oak for ten months sur-lie before bottling. Precise and detailed aromas of marzipan and lime zest emerge in the nose, balanced on the palate with citrus, cardamom, and yeasty flavors—great acidity in the long finish.

In a recent vertical tasting, starting with our first Domaine Eden Chardonnay vintage (2008), this wine is beginning to perform, just like our Estate Chardonnay. Lovely.

This wine's composition is 74% Domaine Eden fruit and 26 % from the Mount Eden Estate.

Production

1,232

Tech Notes

Yield: 2 tons per acre

Harvest: September 3rd-10th

Numbers @ Harvest: 23.4° Brix, 3.3 pH, 7.4 grams acidity

Barrel Regimen: French Burgundy-2-5 years; aged 10 months in barrel, sur-lie; 100% malolactic fermentation

Bottling: July 2019

Alcohol: 14%

Reviews

93 points Wine Enthusiast Magazine  - November 2021

Toasty wood aromas meet with lemon oil and concentrated honeysuckle on the nose of this affordable sister to Mount Eden. There is a firm grip to the palate, where those citrus and wood flavors converge alongside salted sunflower seeds and cashew. —M.K.

93 points Wine & Spirits Magazine  - October 2021

Best Buy

When Mount Eden acquired the Cinnabar estate on a nearby ridge in Saratoga, it renamed the property Domaine Eden. This wine includes fruit from Domaine Eden as well as the original home site, representing the more fruit-forward lots, and it’s a beauty in 2018.  Supple and round, this has layers of savory herb and flower petal notes, a contrast of voluptuous richness and delicacy. Pour it with an equally creamy pasta dressed in uni. —J.G.

92 points Antonio Galloni presents Vinous - May 2022

The 2018 Chardonnay is such a gorgeous wine. Apricot, tangerine oil, butter, spice and a touch of reduction give the 2018 a decidedly exotic flair, but then the Santa Cruz Mountains minerality kicks in to frame things beautifully. Rich, textured and vibrant in the glass, the 2018 is a terrific wine to drink now and over the next handful of years. Drinking window:  2022 – 2028—A.G.

90 points JebDunnuck.com - December 21, 2021

Coming from an estate just to the south of the original estate (this property was purchased by Patterson in 2007), the 2018 Chardonnay is outstanding, with a rich yet vibrant style in its caramelized citrus, brioche, honeycomb, and smoky, mineral-like aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, balanced, and focused on the palate, it has that classic Santa Cruz mineral-like sensation, impressive balance, and a great finish. It will drink nicely for 3 – 5 years. Maturity 2022 – 2027

89 points Wine Spectator  - November 2021 Web

A juicy style, with lots of creamy accents to the ripe pear and apple flavors. The open-textured finish is filled with cooking spice notes and buttery nuances. Drink now through 2023. — KM