2018 Estate Chardonnay
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2018 Chardonnay Estate admirably balances oak-influenced richness with the vibrancy and clarity this property is historically known for. The nose leads with intense aromas of caramel, butterscotch, citrus oil and pineapple rind balanced with a streak of herbal energy. The palate is weighty and forward but retains succulent, tangy acidity with great length on the finish. This should continue to develop further complexity in the cellar over the next decade.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Mount Eden's 2018 Chardonnay offers a fabulous interplay of richness and energy. A wine of linear intensity, the 2018 could use a few more years in bottle to be at its best, but it is super-impressive, even now, in what is very clearly the early going. Lemon confit, mint, orange peel, spice and light butter notes all build into the articulate, polished finish. This is such a classy wine. Give it a few years to come together.
A Burgundy lover’s Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains, the 2018 Chardonnay Estate is another terrific effort from this estate. Lots of honeyed citrus, nectarine, toast, crushed stone, and white flower notes define the bouquet, and it opens beautifully with time in the glass, gaining both richness and complexity. Medium-bodied, it stays tight and compact on the palate, with bright yet integrated acidity, solid mid-palate depth, and a great finish. As with all of Patterson's wines, it's brilliantly made, balanced, and well worth checking out.