Talley Rosemary's Vineyard Chardonnay 2018

Professional Ratings

• 95 Jeb Dunnuck
  Stone fruits, toasted spice, white flowers, and a kiss of salty minerality all emerge from the 2018 Chardonnay Rosemary's Vineyard. Beautifully balanced, it has a tight, vibrant mouthfeel, good acidity, and a great finish. It will benefit from a year or two of bottle age and cruise for over a decade.
• 95 The Somm Journal

  Talley’s most iconic vineyard is Rosemary’s; once an avocado orchard, it’s named for proprietor Brian Talley’s mother. Chardonnay was first planted here in 1988. It’s the coolest site on the estate, so the grapes ripen slowly, showing superb freshness thanks to naturally high-toned acidity. Aromas of buttered apple tart and chamomile are stunning. The palate reveals a crystal-clear focus on lemon verbena, wet stone, and tangerine blossom, while acidity puts a spotlight on the finish of brioche and toffee. Aged for 14 months in (25% new) French oak.

• 94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

  The barrel sample of 2018 Chardonnay Rosemary's Vineyard offers crunchy white peach, Bosc pear, quince, baker’s yeast, crushed stone and nutty hints on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, it’s silky smooth, crunchy and fresh with exuberant acidity and a long, lifted finish.

  Barrel Sample: 92-94

• 94 Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
  COMMENTARY: The 2018 Talley Vineyards Rosemary's Vineyard Chardonnay is a showstopper with style and grace. TASTING NOTES: This wine displays aromas and flavors of tart apple and oak meld together nicely. Pair it with crab legs in drawn butter. (Tasted: August 5, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
• 92 Wine Enthusiast

  Delicate aromas of yellow apple, daffodil, lemon blossom and light butter show on the nose of this single-vineyard expression. Familiar and comforting on the palate, the wine lands softly, with poached orange, light butter and delicate oak flavors, leading into a more complex finish of chamomile and cashew.

• 90 Connoisseurs' Guide

  The two best-rated Talleys present an interesting contrast in style and allow both to be served in their best settings. This one is the tighter of the pair with its mediumvolume aromas and its firm and balanced line across the palate. It is tasty, for sure, with both its crisp appley and lemon-inflected aromas enjoying a bit of rich enhancement from its modest oaky boost. Firm on the palate at entry and showing good length of flavor even as a touch of a chalky note joins in, this is one that we would put away for a few years while drinking up its mate from Oliver’s Vineyard.