Freemark Abbey is one of the most dependable Viognier producers in California. Here they strike gold again with a rich, powerful wine with flavors of tropical fruits, Meyer lemons, limes and honeysuckle flower. It’s balanced in acidity, and a touch of new oak adds toasty complexity.

Smooth and creamy with lovely aromatics and a hint of sweetness; lush, deep and ripe; balanced, long and stylish.

Very rich in tropical fruit, orange, apricot, lime, Asian pear and honey flavors, this tastes like an orchard in a glass. It’s so powerful in fruity essence that it tastes sweet until the finish, which turns nicely dry and crisp in acidity. It defines Viognier’s exotic, unctuous side. Nice now with today’s modern Asian fusion fare. viognier

Nicely ripened and very explicit with regards to the peachy fruit and blossomy sweetness of good Viognier, Freemark Abbey’s fragrant new bottling joins other high achievers in getting the grape right, and it does do without the least hint of excess. It is ripe, but it is not at all heavy, and its inviting freshness is a real plus. It shows a bare bit of finishing heat, but its fruit lasts and lasts, and it will make for fine drinking with the warm weather luncheons of Summer and Spring.

Very perfumed with peach and sliced-lemon character. Full-bodied, round and fresh with a hint of lemon drops at the end with crushed stones. Drink now.

The 2016 Chardonnay is scented of baked pears, ripe apples and dried herbs with touches of cedar, cinnamon toast and yeast extract. Full-bodied, rich and with a pleasantly oily texture, it is jam packed with ripe apple and toasty layers, finishing long.

This pale straw-colored Chardonnay from Freemark Abbey was well liked by our tasting group. It opens with a very very faint pineapple and oak bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and very easy to drink. The flavor profile is like the nose. Those flavors are light oak, with some mild green apple and a touch of pineapple and ginger. The finish is dry and refreshing for a Chard. We all thought it was food friendly and would pair nicely with garlic chicken.

The 2015 Chardonnay is partially barrel-fermented and aged sur lie, but only about 15% new French oak is used. This wine is elegant, with good acidity and notes of baked apple pie intermixed with some white peach and pineapple in a crisp, medium to full-bodied style. Given its acid and concentration, this wine should age nicely for 7-8 years, possibly longer.

This pale gold colored Chardonnay opens with an Anjou pear and green apple bouquet. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a tasty mild pear and gentle oak blend with notes of faint minerality. I also detected hints of almond and a touch of pineapple. The finish is dry and its flavors fade away nicely. This Chard would pair nicely with chicken and wild mushroom ravioli with a light cream sauce. Very good+.

More subdued style than some Napa chards with vanilla, stone and almond character. Cooked apple and pear flavors. Full body, fresh. Finishes intense.

Medium-light golden yellow; attractive, earthy, lemony, white peach and tropical fruit aroma with a hint of baking spices; medium-full body; fleshy, apple, citrus, and stone fruit flavors with some richness in the mouthfeel; lingering aftertaste. Very highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this wine. A long time Napa standard, it had been a while since I had revisited it. Light golden in color. The nose has melons and red apples. Very clean, little oak and no butter. On the palate, this is crisp and refreshing. Some apples, some melon with a nice mouthfeel. Food friendly. Under $30. Really a nice value in Napa Chardonnay.

From three vineyard sites, this wine benefits from the skill of its blender, who composed lemon and lime fruit crispness with more sultry full-bodied creaminess to the texture. Apple skin and herb complete the picture, finished off by a lovely accent of subtle spice.

Tangy fruit and soft oak; juicy, fresh and long; Ted Edwards has been doing this for a long time and he's got it down pat.

Full-throttle Californian Chardonnay from the heart of Napa Valley. This is such a well-known (and respected) winery. Aromas of toasty oak, pear and smoke. There's no secondary (malolactic) fermentation to preserve the fresh acidity which is nicely balancing. Primary fermentation took place in a combination of stainless steel and French oak barrels to lend creaminess. Only about 15% new French oak, the rest is second use to not add too much oak flavour. Pair with game meats and fowl.

Full-throttle Californian Chardonnay from the heart of Napa Valley. This is such a well-known (and respected) winery. Aromas of toasty oak, pear and smoke.

Sweet tangerine, tropical fruit and honey flavors mark this Chardonnay. It was wise on the winemaker's part to avoid the malolactic fermentation, because the fresh apple acidity livens up the richness. With a touch of buttered toast from the new oak barrels, it's a savory wine to drink now.

Bright and juicy with notes of citrus, banana and pineapple; silky and nicely structured with balance and excellent length; no malolactic.

The 2010 Chardonnay Howell Mountain impresses for its bright, floral notes, citrus and crushed rocks. The Howell Mountain was aged in French oak, but the malo was blocked, which preserves minerality and freshness. A clean, saline finish rounds things out nicely. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.

Here's a lovely Chardonnay with aromas of ripe peaches and vanilla and flavors of peaches, lime and candied pineapple. It's nicely balanced and undeniably delicious, with some crispness to balance out the ripe fruit character.

A blend of different estate vineyards owned by Jess Jackson, the 2009 Chardonnay Napa is a non-malolactic effort that exhibits lots of citrus blossom, tangerine and lemon oil notes offered in a medium-bodied, steely, crisp style. The oak component is pushed way to the background in this outstanding, Chablis-like, vibrant, zesty Chardonnay. Enjoy it over the next 2-4 years. I would encourage Freemark Abbey to make more wines in this style. Freemark Abbey continues to be a work in progress as proprietor Jess Jackson moves aggressively to get this estate back to its glory days of the late sixties and early to mid-seventies.

Freemark Abbey Chardonnay is something of a forgotten classic. As other Chardonnays have grown bigger, richer and riper, winemaker Ted Edwards has held the line. This wine does not go through malolactic fermentation and therefore has enough acidity to be light on its feet; as another effect, its aromas and flavors are not dampened by the ML muting process. In fact, the wine's fresh acidity conspires to accentuate the apple aromas and flavors. The wine definitely tastes oaked in its vanilla and smoke character, but it is not overly oaky. It is full-bodied as a Chardonnay should be, but not too big, and it manages to have soft texture despite its crispness, without the bite of high alcohol that mars many a Chardonnay for me. The winery is also known for its red wines: two Cabernet Sauvignon single-vineyard wines, the Bosché and Sycamore Vineyard. The winery has changed ownership in the past few years, and I am happy to see that the wine has survived the ordeal. If you're planning to serve this wine, don't think of it as a typical full-throttle California Chardonnay. It's more delicate and fine-boned than that. It doesn't need to be very cold, because its alcohol doesn't need that straightjacket. And it can accompany food better than an excessive California Chardonnay. I like it in a medium-sized glass with a tulip-shaped bowl, and I like it with veal or chicken fillets, grilled or sautéed. As I taste it, my mind also conjures up thoughts of grilled Italian sausages. Did you notice the price? In my perfect world, this wine would command a higher price--except that in my perfect world, most Chardonnays would taste like this one.

The grapes are from all parts of the valley, cool as well as warm, and the wine shows a complex structure and rich fruity flavors. The tiers of pineapples, tangerines, sautéed bananas, green apples and butterscotch have a honeyed, botrytisy richness, although the finish is thoroughly dry.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Reserve is fabulous. Inky blue/purplish fruit, crème de cassis, gravel, smoke and cured meats give the 2015 quite a bit of complexity, while soft contours and plush fruit add to the wine's exuberant feel.

Smooth, ripe and spicy with rich plum and toasty oak; blackberry, plum and cassis fruit; balanced and long.