2010 Joseph Phelps Chardonnay Freestone Vineyards Pastorale Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The 2010 Chardonnay Estate Pastorale Vineyard is weightless, gracious and elegant. Apricot and peach notes float on the palate in a wine defined by its insistent minerality and gorgeous focus. Still tightly wound and focused, the 2010 needs time to open up, but it is a beautiful, beautiful wine. Wet stone and gun flint nuances inform the finish. There is a lot going on in the glass, but the 2010 is a wine of subtlety and grace, rather than of immediacy. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. Once again, I came away deeply impressed with the wines I tasted from Joseph Phelps and their Freestone Vineyards range. These are without question some of the most polished wines being made in the Sonoma Coast today. The 2011s, all of which I tasted from barrel, are also highly promising. The Pinots are quite savory and Syrah-like in this vintage. It will be interesting to see how they develop over the coming year. Tel: (707) 874-1010
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Yellow-green. Musky aromas of white peach, orange blossom and nutty lees lifted by minerals and lime. Rounder and drier than the basic chardonnay bottling; less fruity and more serious. The mineral element gives this fairly full chardonnay a firm, youthfully dry quality on the back end. Less ripe and plush than the 2009 version.
The 2010 Chardonnay Pastorale Vineyard is an intense, mineral-driven wine loaded with slate, crushed rocks, lime, mint and white flowers. The aromatics and overall structure recall Chablis, but the muscle and depth are pure Sonoma. This is a striking, wonderfully complete Chardonnay from Joseph Phelps.
About the producer
California winery Joseph Phelps is best known for its flagship Insignia cuvée, one of the first and finest proprietary red wines in the Napa Valley.