Cattleya Wines Cuvee Number Five Chardonnay 2021
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James
Suckling -
Wilfred
Wong -
Wine
Enthusiast
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Winemaker Notes
Staying true to its coastal roots, this Sonoma Coast Chardonnay packs aromas ofwhite peach, lime zest, crushed rock, and lemon meringue into its shimmering lemon hue. On the palate, this wine is driven by a core of juicy red apple and fresh nectarine, before an unquestionably long, smooth finish begins to unfold. Complexity abound, secondary flavors of baking spice, lemon oil, and toasted vanilla bean are speared by vibrant acidity and voluminous texture.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Attractive aromas of yellow apples, ripe stone fruit and glazed lemons. together with toffee, vanilla and crushed stones. Full and rich with a dense, waxy palate. Textured and creamy. Lingering finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 Cattleya Cuvée Number Five Chardonnay is wild, pure, and beautifully untamed. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with aromas and flavors of tart Meyer lemons, dried leaves, chalkiness, stones-in-the-desert, and dried apple skin. Pair it with garlic and ginger-accented steamed crab legs. (Tasted: May 8, 2023, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
Ripe and mouthfilling, this full-bodied wine is generously loaded with dark cherries, blueberries and dark chocolate for a richness that makes it appropriate with smoky, spicy entrees or even as an after-dinner pour.
Other Vintages
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James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
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Enthusiast
In her words: Since my early teenage years, my dream has been to make wine.
At a very young age I was fortunate enough to begin learning how to make wine in France. I trained myself while working with some amazing winemakers who showed me the importance of loving the land, how to respect the farming itself, and to focus on the many details that go into making each drop of wine in each and every bottle.
While studying in Bordeaux and Cognac I learned the required viticulture, enology and microbiology (“wine science”); but most importantly, I was also exposed to the many rituals involved in winemaking–things like pruning, harvesting and bottling–that feel so special and meaningful each season. I told myself that one day a bottle of wine would be infused with the longings of my soul through fruit produced from a specific terroir that spoke to my heart. That place I have found.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A vast appellation covering Sonoma County’s Pacific coastline, the Sonoma Coast AVA runs all the way from the Mendocino County border, south to the San Pablo Bay. The region can actually be divided into two sections—the actual coastal vineyards, marked by marine soils, cool temperatures and saline ocean breezes—and the warmer, drier vineyards further inland, which are still heavily influenced by the Pacific but not quite with same intensity.
Contained within the appellation are the much smaller Fort Ross-Seaview and Petaluma Gap AVAs.
The Sonoma Coast is highly regarded for elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and, increasingly, cool-climate Syrah. The wines have high acidity, moderate alcohol, firm tannin, and balanced ripeness.