Vine Cliff consistently produces one of the best Chardonnays in Napa Valley, and here’s another one. The cool vintage gives it refreshing acidity, while the flavors are ripe and frankly delicious, suggesting pineapple and Key lime pie, vanilla custard, buttered toast, vanilla and dusty pie spices. A girding of minerality helps the dry structure. Really complex, and a joy to drink.——S.H.(12/1/2011)—— 94

This is a flashy Chardonnay, marked by scads of oak that contributes buttered toast and vanilla cream. You find rich fruit flavors of pineapples and golden mangoes, but they struggle to overcome the barrel influence. Still, there’s no denying the opulence. Drink now. ——S.H.(12/15/2010)—— 90

This is a terrific wine, extremely powerful in fruity flavors. It impresses for its sheer volume. Waves of apricots, nectarines, pears, green apples, butterscotch, buttered toast and smoky, vanilla-tinged oak surf the palate, carried along on a wave of crisp acidity.——S.H.(9/1/2008)—— 92