The 2002 Chardonnay Mount Carmel Vineyard possesses buttery, hazelnut, peeled citrus, and popcorn notes. Powerful, broad, dense, and chewy, it is a beautifully textured, heady white that tastes like a French Batard-Montrachet. It can be drunk now or cellared for 10-12 years. One can’t say enough about this young team that is doing such spectacular work in Santa Rita Hills’ cool climate vineyards.Tel. (805) 452-5609

One of the few wines in this vertical that merited a lower score than initially received, the 2002 displays a honeyed, white corn and quince-scented nose, appeared more narrowly constructed than its siblings, and may have had a slight cork issue as the aromatics seemed muted/restrained for a Brewer-Clifton wine. Although it did not possess that extra dimension of excitement, it possesses a full-bodied, rich, honeyed style in the mouth. However, the aromatics seemed slightly off, and since no second bottle was available, I was unable to retaste it.