“You want more and you want it fast!” – David Bowie, Rebel Rebel, 1974

Or shall we say, “Ground Control to Major Tom, commencing countdown, engines on?” Bowie fan or not, drop whatever you’re doing and join the rebellion. We’re rebelling against overpriced Chardonnay. We’re doing so by taking 2/3 OFF an already stunning value. Let’s Dance!

This is for the lovers of full-blown, big, rich, buttery Napa style Chardonnay. If that’s your thing, it doesn’t get much better. World’s End always crushes it, and this is no different. Did we mention the price? Once upon a time $80…and now under $30?!

A pearl in the necklace of Beckstoffer Vineyards, Las Amigas is the fruit source for this Chardonnay, lying along the infamous Carneros corridor cooled by the San Pablo Bay winds. Merlot and Chardonnay love this terroir, obviously why the Beckstoffer clan invested in this site, as they only farm the very best plots all over the Napa Valley. Any wine from one of their sites at this price is as rare as can be.

World’s End is a project by winemaking force Jonathan Maltus. The man has a LONG list of 95-100-point wines. He emerged as a leading visionary from the 1990s “garagiste” period in St. Emilion, where he pushed the limits and broke all the traditional rules to set new expectations for quality and price. He does it all, most notably across properties like Le Dôme, Château Teyssier, and other top Right Bank estates. World’s End is his Napa Valley operation and here too he’s well connected with all the right vineyards for sourcing, from Stagecoach to Beckstoffer they just do not get any better.

While Jeb Dunnuck missed this vintage, he says the 2017 “drinks like a mature Meursault” and that the 2019 is “another impeccably made Chardonnay.” We echo all that, and so do the reviews below. It’s rich, without being too buttery or oaky, but with enough oomph and depth to warrant that original $80 price. There are plenty of citrus notes, on the nose and the palate, with peel and pith too, while some baking spices and toast brioche notes add layers of complexity. Bowie would have loved it…

And by bringing you this awesomely urgent opportunity, we can be heroes, just for one day!

92 Points – James Suckling

“Aromas of candied lemons, dried tangerine peel, glazed peaches, toffee and honeysuckle. Full-bodied with vivid, pleasant acidity and an attractive tropical core. Polished and refined with a chalky, citrusy finish. Drink or hold.”

91 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“World’s End is the Napa venture of peripatetic Englishman Jonathan Maltus, probably best known for his Bordeaux estates: Château Teyssier and Le Dôme. Much of the fruit comes from superstar grower Andy Beckstoffer, which comes at a price, and the length of the relationship has a bearing on what fruit you have access to. ‘We’ve got better since we started,’ said Maltus, referring to his rows in To Kalon. ‘We’ve got further away from the road. When we started, we were down by the grocery store.’ The 2018 Rebel Rebel Chardonnay Reserve is a bit fresher and livelier than the 2017 (duh). Buttered cashews and ripe peaches mark the nose, along with a slight menthol note. It’s medium to full-bodied, slightly creamy textured but with a bright, citrusy finish. Drink 2021-2024.”