The wine possesses an evolved light gold color, a powerful pineapple, buttery, toasty, smoky nose, excellent full-bodied flavors, loads of fruit, a chewy texture, and a heady, alcoholic (14.2%) finish.

A smooth and sleek wine with balance and complexity.

Medium body, acid fruit and oak. Citrus, geraniums, herbs, toast. Assertive toast component dominates herbaceous fruit. A complex, unusual host of flavors, with rich mouth-feel and lingering acidity.

I have long been an enthusiastic fan of Kendall-Jackson's Grand Reserve Chardonnay and the 1994 is an outstanding wine. This 100% barrel-fermented Chardonnay is made in surprisingly large quantities (about45,000-50,000 cases), but there is no doubting its lavish display of tropical fruit, butter and spicy, toasty barrel aromas. This delicious wine is authoritatively rich and full-bodied, with low acidity. While it will not make old bones, it will drink well for 1-2 years.

Ripe, rich and oaky, with a pleasant range of toasty, buttery pear and spicy flavors that fan out and turn complex.

Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Chardonnay Estate is a very pretty, open-knit wine that captures the essence of the property. Yellow orchard fruit, lemon confit, tangerine, chamomile and dried flowers are nicely laced together in this attractive, inviting Chardonnay from Stonestreet.

Lovely oak may jump to the fore on first nosing here, but it is soon joined by plenty of well-focused, ripe apple fruit, and the layering implied by this generous, full-bodied offering’s ever deepening aromas is convincingly confirmed by its concentrated, multi-dimensional flavors. Subtlety is not one of the wine’s strengths, but unabashed richness most certainly is, and, while it is just a tad hot in its closing moments, its lastminute heat is sure to be made moot by the richer foods for which it so clearly asks. 1 star.

Stonestreet's 2015 Chardonnay Estate is a terrific introduction to the estate. Creamy and expressive, yet also medium in body, the 2015 is both intense but also quite fresh. Orchard fruit, butter, French oak and lightly tropical notes build into the supple finish.

Before the last wine for Easter recommendations, let me suggest Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Chard 2015. In the past I have written up Stonestreet’s Upper Barn; the 2012 was 94 points and there’s still some on the market around $75. Their Bear Point Chardonnay 2011 and ‘12, $60, were 91 and 92 points respectively and are drinking beautifully right now. RP with 95-96 points and Tanzer 93 loved them. Tanzer, you may remember, is a very tough marker. The Mountain Estate is a blend of several of Stonestreet vineyards’ juice, and winemaker Lisa Valtenberg has blended a beauty, priced around $360/case. If you see some on your shelves, snap them up. This is old-time Chard with lots of apple, warm bread, pineapple and honeysuckle. Big, round, buttery mouthfeel, with unctuous tropical fruit flavors and butterscotch, all supported by plenty of minerally acidity. The finish is long, clean, with some barrel spice shining through. A bit alcoholic at 14-15 percent, but it is integrated. It gets 2 price points under $32. The 2014 and ‘13 were also quite delicious, 90 points.

The 2014 Chardonnay Upper Barn is one of the most aromatic, lifted wines in the range. White flowers, orchard fruit, mint, spice and cantaloupe form an attractive fabric of aromas, flavors and textures. The 2014 is a bit closed today, perhaps because it has the lowest pH of these Chardonnays. Still, there is plenty of intrigue.

The 2014 Chardonnay Estate opens with striking aromatics. Pliant and open-knit, the 2014 is an excellent choice for drinking over the next few years. Yellow orchard fruit, apricot pit, honey and chamomile meld into the expressive finish. The Estate is a fabulous introduction to the Stonestreet Chardonnays.

The 2011 Chardonnay Broken Road is a great introduction to the Stonestreet wines. Rich layered and deeply textured - but not at all heavy - the 2011 is simply brilliant. Lemon oil, butter and crushed rocks are all very much alive in the glass. The 2011 is absolutely delicious, but it could use another 6-12 months in bottle to fully come together, as it is a bit tight at the moment. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2018.

Graham Weerts selects this chardonnay from a sector of the Alexander Mountain Estate where the vines, planted in 1997, grow at 1,000 feet. It’s a rich, supple wine that carries its weight without effort, developing flavor depths from barrel fermentation without added yeast, which also boosted its creamy, white fruit flavor. Tight in the finish, this benefits from air and will gain with a year or two in the bottle.

Graham Weerts selects this chardonnay from a sector of the Alexander Mountain Estate where the vines, planted in 1997, grow at 1,000 feet. It's a rich, supple wine that carries its weight without effort, developing flavor depths from barrel fermentation without added yeast, which also boosted its creamy, white fruit flavor. Tight in the finish, this benefits from air and will gain with a year or two in the bottle.

Dense and ripe with tangy acidity and bright fruit; rich and balanced, long, fresh and stylish.

(from an altitude of 820 to 1,000 feet): Bright medium yellow. Reticent aromas of peach, nutmeg and coconut, with a note of marzipan emerging with air. Broad, plump and silky; full without being heavy, but showing more oak and spice elements than primary fruit flavor.

A substantial, meaty chardonnay, this wine's fruit tone has deepened and darkened from its time in oak, developing flavors of hazelnut, vanilla bean and toasted croissant. It's sweet and soft in the end, with the richness to match veal roast.

Light straw color. Clean, bright, sweet and oaky nose recalls buttered popcorn, licorice and papaya. The wood doesn't overpower the other scents. On the palate, this is an elegant, lighter-bodied chardonnay that is tasty, fresh and youthful. The fruit here is very good. On the other hand, it's a bit high in alcohol, not particularly complex, a little low in acid, and offers no sense of terroir. Some liked it more than others.

Clean, fruity and somewhat more oriented to Red Delicious than to Gala apples with hints of tropical fruits in support, this fairly full-sized effort is a touch less weighty than its cellarmates and is a touch less open as well. It will reward a few years in the cellar, yet it can be used today with confidence alongside shrimp sauteed in butter and shallots.

Light gold. Vibrant, smoky aromas of spicy pear and nectarine braced by bright mineral tones. Tangy orchard fruit flavors are impressively focused and brisk, extending through a long, spicy finish. Gains weight with air, picking up light butter and orange notes.

Notions of peaches, honeysuckle, and pineapple are followed by a medium-bodied, elegant, crisp, stony style. IT could pass for a California version of a grand cru Chablis.

Lemon drop, pineapple, crushed stone and a suggestion of caramel on the nose. More austere and less sweet and spicy than the Sonoma County bottling, showing less texture today. But this is ultimately more minerally and more powerful, and more sharply delineated. Firmly built, youthfully unevolved and persistent.

Lush and ripe with smooth texture and a long, mellow finish; ripe cherry and raspberry with spice and savory notes; an impressive Pinot from Jackson Family at a remarkable price.

This wine is inky dark in color, potent in flavor and huge in structure. The aromas are like smoke, dried herbs, and blackberry, the flavors are concentrated in black currant, while the texture is saturated with fine tannins that make it almost chewy. This is full bodied, dry, and needs either time to mellow out or some juicy protein alongside.

This wine is inky dark in color, potent in flavor and huge in structure. The aromas are like smoke, dried herbs, and blackberry, the flavors are concentrated in black currant, while the texture is saturated with fine tannins that make it almost chewy. This is full bodied, dry, and needs either time to mellow out or some juicy protein alongside.