88 2005 DeRose Chardonnay Cienega Valley 2/14/10 ($26)
14.1% alc
Color: Medium 18kt. gold. (3.0) Bouquet: Buttery with toasty oak, complementing some lively minerality and carmelized pear. (3.0) Body: Rich mouthfeel with excellent fruit and oak and very good acidity. A little heat. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet with toasty oak and tart minerality in the forefront. (3.0) Finish: Parallels flavor, but bitterness from heat and oak comes into play here. (2.0)
Overall: As a lover of Santa Cruz Mtns. Chardonnay, I like the minerality here, but it's a little over-oaked for my taste and the heat sticks out a bit in the finish. Nonetheless, it has excellent quality, distinctive character and is not overdone on the whole.(14.0)
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