2023 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay Purrington Rued Vineyard
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The 2023 Chardonnay Purrington Rued Vineyard delivers all the aromatic intensity typical of this clone. Passion fruit, mint, white flowers, green pear and jasmine are all beautifully lifted. Readers will find a Chardonnay of undeniable finesse, class and nuance. Strong, petrol-like Riesling inflections punctuate the close.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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Pouring a youthful yellow/green-tinged hue, the 2023 Chardonnay Purrington Rued Vineyard is ripe on the nose with highly expressive notes of salted pineapple, golden peaches, smoky wet stones, and ripe citrus. The palate is full-bodied, with a rounded texture, even acidity, and a mouthwatering finish. It’s decadent but reigned in and elegant in this vintage. Drink 2026-2038. Owned by Thomas Rivers Brown and Genevieve Marie Welsh and based in Calistoga, Rivers Marie specializes in single varietal, single vineyard expressions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. One of Sonoma's most prolific winemakers and consultants, Thomas Rivers Brown grew up in South Carolina and later went on to work at Turley before carving his own path forward. I met with Thomas and Will Segui, the assistant winemaker, at the Calistoga winery this spring to taste the wines for this report.