2013 Mount Eden "Estate" Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

The 2013 Chardonnay is especially ripe and voluptuous in this vintage because of the drought, almost unusually so. Yellow peach, candied orange peel and pineapple are front and center. The good news with the 2013 is that it will drink well early, but the bad news - if it can be called that - is that the wine is a bit on the overt side. Voluptuous, racy and oily, the 2013 will drink well with minimal cellaring. The 2013 finishes with a real sense of weight and textural richness that only adds to its considerable appeal... The Chardonnays are particularly strong this year at both the Domaine Eden and Mount Eden labels. Patterson told me 2013 a drought year, reminds him of 1984. I will take his word for it, as I was barely a teenager at the time. But tasting the wines, it is clear they are truly special from top to bottom. (AG)