2012 Aubert, Eastside Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Magnum (1.5L)

RP99 "The 2012 Chardonnay East Side, a vineyard owned by top viticulturist Ulises Valdez, is a 1,000-case cuvee that reveals a liquified wet stone character intermixed with notes of white currants, quince, honeysuckle, pineapple and peach marmalade. Strong minerality as well as a remarkable finish make this a candidate for perfection. It should drink well for 6-10 years as well." RP Dec 2013
Mark Aubert is one of the contenders for California’s finest practitioner of Burgundian-styled, yet classic, California Chardonnays. His offerings are all made like grand cru Burgundies with full malolactic, the use of French oak and lees stirring, but the purity of fruit, the textural dimensions, and the stunning singularity of these Chardonnays can only be matched by a handful of other Chardonnay producers in the world. He’s that good. Aubert’s 2012s, which I have enjoyed multiple times out of bottle since I purchased most of them, merit the scores I gave them last year. Those include the 2012 Chardonnay Cix Estate (99), 2012 Chardonnay East Side (99), 2012 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons (96), 2012 Chardonnay Lauren Estate (98+), 2012 Chardonnay Ritchie (95), 2012 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate (99), and 2012 Chardonnay UV-SL (96). RP Dec 2014