The 2009 Vinya Gigi Chardonnay, from 31-year-old vines, is aged entirely in new French oak for 6 months with partial malolactic fermentation. It has an inviting, brioche nose with fine delineation and touches of lanolin. The medium-bodied palate has a creamy entry and good acidity, with fine toasty notes towards the finish. Drink now-2015. Jean Leon is a famous Penedes winery, its founder credited with introducing Cabernet Sauvignon to the region in the 1960s, as well as the concept of single vineyard or “pago” wines. Upon his death, his friend Miguel Torres took over the winery, and it is now part of their portfolio. I must confess that I found the wines to be a little commercial and formulaic compared to their peers, almost as if the winery was looking too much at the past, at the colourful life of Jean Leon, instead of forwards to the future. Importer: Elite Wine Imports, VA; tel. (703) 339-8150; Antalva Imports, CA; tel. (310) 695-6260; Hidalgo Imports, FL; tel. (305) 477-7737; and Dreyfus Ashby & Co., NY; tel. (212) 818-0770