2014 Walter Hansel Chardonnay The North Slope
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2014 Chardonnay The North Slope Vineyard is a bold wine with plenty of California richness and intensity. Dried pear, lemon confit, almonds, chamomile, honey and all the classic notes of barrel fermented Russian River Chardonnay are pushed forward. I would prefer to drink this creamy layered Chardonnay over the next few years. Even so, the 2014 needs a bit if time in the decanter to allow some reductive notes to dissipate.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2014 Chardonnay The North Slope Vineyard is silky, nuanced and expressive on the palate. Lifted aromatics balance some of the inherent richness of the fruit in this super-polished Chardonnay. This is one of the more complete wines in Stephen Hansel's range.
The 2014 Chardonnay The North Slope comes from sandy, rich and fertile Goldridge soils. This wine exhibits plenty of honeyed brioche, with a greenish hue to its light-gold color, followed by notes of buttery hazelnuts, poached pear, pineapple and citrus oil. This is French in style as well, but with an almost lavish richness like a top-flight French Bâtard-Montrachet. It should drink well for 5-6 years.