The excellent honeyed, tropical fruit-scented nose of the 1992 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay is followed by a wine with soft, fleshy, medium to full-bodied flavors, wonderful purity, delicious fruit, and a long finish. This beautiful wine should drink well for 1-2 years. Chateau Souverain is clearly on a hot streak with excellent wines across the board, possessing the two rare virtues of (1) high quality and (2) modest prices.

For the price, this is an ambitiously styled Chardonnay. There is plenty of buttery fruit and smoky toast in its moderately intense bouquet. In the mouth, the wine exhibits fine richness, good focus and purity, as well as a concentrated finish. I would opt for consuming it over the next year.