Walter Hansel "The Meadows" Chardonnay
"Made entirely from the Hanzell clone of Chardonnay planted in sandy Goldridge soils, it sees about 40% new oak, goes through full malolactic, and is stirred on its lees. A Corton-Charlemagne look-alike (at a fraction of the price), it offers copious notes of tangerine oil, caramelized citrus, lemon rind, white peach and a stony character. The oak is kept to a minimum in this medium to full-bodied, delicious, pure Chardonnay. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years. Combining quality with reasonable prices and estate-grown grapes, you can’t do much better than Stephen Hansel’s Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs." -Robert Parker