Even though this Chardonnay has rich, ripe flavors of tropical fruit, peaches, apples and honey, it possesses an austere elegance by virtue of dryness, minerality and acidity. The blocks from which the grapes were grown are part of Stonestreet's holdings in the mountains overlooking Alexander Valley. This is a fine wine, intricate and powerful.

A big, vital, complex wine whose multiple layers reveal themselves as it warms and airs in the glass. With a smooth, creamy texture and just enough acidity for balance, it’s rich in apricot-and orange-jam flavors. The finish lingers, with honey and vanilla accents.

This is one of the more complex Chardonnays you are likely to find in the Alexander Valley, which is typically suited for grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon that thrive in a warm climate. Chardonnay works there, too, especially when the vines are planted at a bit of elevation. The Bear Point vineyard block is situated at about 1000 feet above sea level and the fruit from this source speaks to the veracity of the vineyard site. This vintage exhibits a floral nose with hints of lemon oil and baking spice. On the palate the wine is expansive, opulent and layered without losing its elegance. I wouldn't want to age this wine past the 5-to-7-year mark, but for drinking now and over the next few years it's a stunningly delicious wine for any occasion that calls for Chardonnay.

The minerality in this wine is showcased through notes of granite that give a firm kick to the ripe apricots, citrus, tropical fruit and honeysuckle that make it so gorgeous. Drink now with fare such as lobster, tuna or scallops.

Crisp acidity and a fine minerality give this wine an elegant, clean mouthfeel. Flavor-wise, it’s rich in pineapple and sour lemon candy, with hints of pepper and papaya. Honeyed tones unfold on the midpalate, but the finish is dry. Drink now–2016.

Orange blossoms, nectarines, white flowers and honey all flesh out in the 2011 Chardonnay Bear Point. Another wine that manages to be both rich but not ponderous, the 2011 Bear Point blossoms in all directions as the fruit opens up in the glass. A creamy, highly expressive finish rounds things out in style. The Bear Point is made from the Peter Michael Chardonnay clone, which is believed to have originated on this property! Anticipated maturity: 2014-2018.

Smooth and creamy with bright apple and citrus fruit; rich and elegant, silky and fresh, crisp and long with complexity and style.

The 2011 Chardonnay Upper Barn comes across deep, rich and implosive. A wine of considerable energy and sheer power, the 2011 boasts serious extract. The Upper Barn is the biggest and broadest of the Stonestreet Chardonnays. It will appeal most to readers who like powerful Chardonnays. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2018.

The 2010 Chardonnay Broken Road is a textured wine graced with notable depth and richness. This is a slightly fatter style than the Upper Barn, but there is no shortage of minerality or vibrancy here. The Broken Road comes across as quite round and totally complete. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018.

Bright green-tinged yellow. Aromas of pineapple and minerals. At once steely and seamless in the mouth, with the rich pineapple fruit intensified by strong citrus grip. Boasts excellent underlying sweetness and creaminess of fruit but finishes a bit youthfully tight and in need of a year or so of patience.

The 2010 Chardonnay Upper Barn is a gorgeous wine. Apricots, peaches, flowers and subtle French oak are all woven together in this elegant, refined white. This is a super-finessed style that is immensely appealing. Persistent citrus and saline notes frame the bright finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018.

Pale yellow. Cool, discreet aromas of lemon, lime and metallic minerality, with tropical fruit hints emerging as the wine opens in the glass...finishes with lovely subtle sweetness and sneaky length.

...From an 1,800 foot elevation, it reveals lots of honeyed pear, tropical fruit, brioche, nectarine and marmalade notes along with terrific acidity as well as richness. Moreover, little oak can be detected despite the fact that it (as well as its siblings) sees 50% new oak.

Abundant gravelly/mineral-like notes intermixed with tropical fruit, oranges, and other stone fruits as well as quince and mango emerge from this elegant, crisp offering. It may be slightly less full-bodied than the Red Point, but that's splitting hairs at this level of quality. These are far and away the most impressive group of Stonestreet Alexander Mountain estate wines I have ever tasted.

Bright yellow-straw color. Pure but reticent aromas of apricot, peach and sexy brown spices. Dense, fat and ripe, with a very suave texture and subtle, dry stone fruit flavors reminiscent of Puligny-Montrachet. Really dusts the palate on the back end, finishing with an intriguing minty aftertaste.

Pale, bright yellow. Soft citrus fruits, clove, minerals and charred oak on the nose; the oakiest of this terrific set of chardonnays. Sweet, creamy and approachable; full, lush and large-scaled. Offers excellent breadth to its stone fruit flavors. The highest in alcohol of these chardonnays at 15.5% and probably best for drinking over the next couple of years.

Powerful and compelling, this is the sort of wine designed for contemplation rather than being tossed back mindlessly the way we all often do. It delivers layer upon layer of expressive ripe fruit, of minerality, and of fresh, citrusy acidity. It's as creamy and voluptuous as a white satin bridal gown, and it exudes a mesmerizing perfume. It costs a pretty penny, no doubt about it, but that's all the more reason to be grateful for the immense pleasure it can convey to the mindful drinker.

Complex and concentrated, with intense flavors of tropical fruits, white peach, vanilla hazelnut fudge, buttered toast and smoke. An extraordinarily rich Chardonnay that could benefit from 4-6 years in the cellar.

The 2007 Chardonnay Broken Road and 2007 Chardonnay Red Point, both lighter versions of the Upper Barn. Stonestreet is becoming an excellent source for small lots of Chardonnay, although the basic Alexander Valley cuvee is very plentiful (6,500 cases). The single vineyard offerings (between 120 and 350 cases produced of each) are impressive efforts that are more similar than dissimilar since they all come from single vineyard lots, are aged in 50% new French oak (except for the Gravel Bench), and spend 11 months on their lees before bottling.

An enigma of a Chardonnay. The wine is young but its deep color, the integrated and subdued nature of its flavors and the rich honey and smoky notes on the nose and palate all suggest development. The Alexander Valley appellation would suggest a ripe, warm-climate style and the wine is in fact full-bodied and rich, with 14.5 percent alcohol. But the wine comes from grapes grown at 1500 feet altitude, and its acidity is fresh and enlivening. It’s a California Chardonnay, but it has the understatement of the Old World. Soft, rich, long, caressing -- a wonderful Chardonnay.

The liquid minerality of the 2007 Chardonnay Gravel Bench brings to mind a grand cru Chablis. Abundant wet stone characteristics along with a liqueur of rocks are accompanied by lemon blossom, nectarine, and quince notes. It should drink well for 5-6 years.

The 2006 Chardonnay Alexander Valley is a beautiful wine that exhibits notes of honeysuckle, poached pear, and tropical fruit in a medium to full-bodied style, with crisp acidity and a long, very subtle, smoky oakiness. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.

2005 CHARDONNAY UPPER BARN ALEXANDER VALLEY A vineyard make famous by Helen Turley in the 1990s, exhibits more brioche, white peach, apricot, and poached pear characteristics along with good underlying acidity (typical of the Chardonnay vintage). Drink it over the next 4-5 years.

2005 CHARDONNAY RED POINT ALEXANDER VALLEY reveals plenty of honeyed melons, crushed rocks, white currants, and white peaches. This fresh, lively Chardonnay is more similar to a Chablis than most California Chardonnays. It should drink well for 3-4 years.

An intriguing honeysuckle, orange rind, nectarine, and lemon butter-scented and flavored effort. The fleshy, full-bodied, rich, well-textured Chardonnay to drink over the next 2-3 years.