Wine Advocate 95 – best vintage ever:
The 2019 Chardonnay Laurelwood District comes from seven different vineyard sites throughout the appellation. It's energetic, spicy and mineral-driven this vintage, with transparent aromas of white peach, beeswax, jasmine and flint. The palate pairs spicy fruit with exotic floral undertones. It has a satiny, expansive texture balanced by a spine of shimmery acidity, and it finishes long and expressive.
Also top ratings from Suckling, the Wine Enthusiast and the Wine Spectator.
Here’s the Wine Enthusiast:
This Chardonnay, made with fruit from the Ponzi family’s original 1970 plantings and a series of Laurelwood District vineyards, is quite a treat. Its floral qualities are almost too numerous to fit into a tasting note. Suffice it to say that honeysuckle, flowering tobacco and lemon catmint provide a heady amount of jasmine and citrus notes. Lighter-bodied, with a smooth mouthfeel, this lovely Chardonnay has flavors of Bosc pear, toasted filberts and a clean sea breeze. The acidity is lively, with a touch of butter on the finish.
Bloomberg also included this in their list of “50 Best Wines Under $50. (At $45.)
I find it especially telling that Ponzi releases this later than the Pinot Noir: as like the Eyrie, this is one Oregon Chardonnay that really will age.
