You have no idea for how long we’ve been knocking on the door for this one! To see a Patz & Hall flagship offering here before us is a transcending, dreamlike encounter. When Patz & Hall entered the stage in 1988, they were yet another ambitious newcomer to the realm of California’s luxury Chardonnay and Pinot Noir scene. By the early 1990s however, their following crossed the stratosphere and continues to grow as they have yet to skip a quality beat. Get ready to be transported to Meursault and back, at the cost of a quick stop at your local Farmer’s Market.

A precious white gold laced with bright mirror-like jolts of tiny sparks under the light. The sheer class is clearly evident right from the first smell, with Meyer lemon, nectarine, and hazelnuts leading. Creamy on the palate, while with a bracing backbone of refreshing acidity, and - believe it or not - still youthfully wound with fruits and mineral. The broad finish is where it shows the Burgundy influence most, with a minute-long lingering of complexity. This authoritative, elegant beast of a white will shine with equally decadent, lavishly rich preparations a variety of fresh seafood.

While it’s unabashedly Californian at the core, it has one foot firmly set in Burgundy too, where James Hall honed his craft. It also has the potential to outlast many counterparts from across the Atlantic, and can even send shockwaves down experienced palates if slipped into a blind tasting with them. For what you can steal it today and only at The Wine Spies, this is a tremendous bargain in its class.

One tiny tweak before we hand the mic over to Mr. Bob Parker the master, he was seriously conservative with the recommended drinking window of this monumental wine, however, he was accurate with the aging assessment for their Pinots. Today, with proof in the glass, we can confidently echo those sentiments also apply for this Chardonnay, so easily add a decade of joyful cellaring and ultimate hedonism.

Here’s what the wine press has to say:

94 Points – Robert Parker - “Both James Hall and Donald Patz are high on 2014 for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. I was generally surprised at just how well Patz & Hall Pinot Noirs age. Most of us tend to drink Pinot Noir in its first seven to ten years of life, and that goes for red Burgundy as well. These wines certainly can go well past that, as the following notes indicate. The 2014 Chardonnay Alder Springs Vineyard emerges from a high-elevation, 2,600-foot-altitude vineyard in Mendocino. Patz & Hall were one of the first vignerons to exploit this sensational site, which is clearly one of the great vineyards of Mendocino. This wine sees slightly more new oak at 60% new French oak, and offers gorgeously pure citrus oil, poached pear, cinnamon, clove and hints of white peach and pineapple. There is a lot going on in the aromatics as well as the flavor profile of this full-bodied wine, which has dazzling fruit purity, texture and length. The acidity gives it focus and grip. Drink it over the next 5-6 years. Drink 2016-2022.”