2023 Chardonnay Barrique
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A golden yellow color, the 2023 Chardonnay is ripe with honey, poached apples, preserved lemon, and custard. Full-bodied, it has a creamy texture upfront, with its saltier accents and savory side lingering through the finish. It initially feels like a more modern styled wine, but its sense of place comes through on the finish. Drink 2025-2030. It's still a richer style than I prefer, but it can pair well at the table with roast chicken, etc.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
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The organic Planeta 2023 Sicilia Menfi Chardonnay is a creamy and rich interpretation with sweet almond, apricot and Sicilian candied fruit. The wine delivers beautiful intensity over a thickly layered, full-bodied mouthfeel. Fruit comes from the Ulmo vineyard (positioned at 250 meters above sea level) and Maroccoli (at 415 meters in elevation). The wine is aged in Allier French barrique with 40% new oak, 30% second-use and 30% third-use barrel for 11 months. This is a massive production of close to a quarter of a million bottles, and that's an impressive feat.
A lovely blend of vanilla beans, mint leaves and peach sorbet introduces the 2023 Chardonnay. The palate is rich and silky smooth, with ripe pit fruit sweeping across, offset by a gentle tinge of savory spice. Hazelnut and an air of custard linger as the 2023 finishes with outstanding length and tension. Gorgeous today, this also possesses the balance for medium-term cellaring.