2012 Ceritas Chardonnay Pinnacle Vineyard |
| Vintage | 2012 |  | |
| Type | White | ||
| Producer | Ceritas (web) | ||
| Variety | Chardonnay | ||
| Designation | n/a | ||
| Vineyard | Pinnacle Vineyard | ||
| Country | USA | ||
| Region | California | ||
| SubRegion | Santa Cruz Mountains | ||
| Appellation | Santa Cruz Mountains |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2015 and 2021 (based on 5 user opinions) | |
| Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Ceritas Chardonnay Pinnacle Vineyard on the Wine Market Journal. |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average and median of 91 pts. in 64 notes) | |
| Tasted by SoundinBetween on 2/10/2023: Medium lemon in the glass, with aromas of white flowers, lemon, and a hint of chalk. Medium-bodied with a sappy finish highlighting citrus again, drinking well but will not improve & on the downslope today. (580 views) | |
| Tasted by Mark1npt on 1/10/2023 & rated 94 points: Built for those that need something more than buttery Napa. My first of this provider. There's a great nose of honeysuckle, cream and balanced acidity. Some citrus, apple and pear with a bead of salinity. Very nice for starters! Thanks, Ken! (1818 views) | |
| Tasted by Seafoam Manor on 11/14/2022 & rated 91 points: Not at all your typical CA Chardonnay. Lean, but with excellent acidity, keeping this very light on its feet. You get a big dose of lemon curd, bits of lime and strong mineral and oyster shell notes. Probably lacks some of the depth and complexity that you get from the best Ceritas wines, but this was still really good. The Chablis-like comparisons are not out of place. I don't think this is any danger of falling apart, but it's also not something I would look to hold too much longer. (620 views) | |
| Tasted by jjct on 7/4/2022: Very light on its feet, with laser acidity and focus. Minerals and lemon. Very enjoyable. (652 views) | |
| Tasted by Grape_ape on 9/6/2019: Brought to an offline, paired against a 2015 Cameron Clos Electrique chard. Ceritas showed more maturity given the three year age difference. Showed nice lemon curd, minerals, and rocks. (2004 views) | |
| Tasted by David_T on 5/3/2019 & rated 91 points: Lemon & mineral aromas. The palate matches adding herbal & yellow apple notes. Fully mature, medium acid/minerals. Unlikely to improve further but should drink well through its 10th birthday. (1596 views) | |
| Tasted by acidqueen on 4/28/2019 & rated 91 points: First whiff said lemon peel and jasmine. Tastes like lemon curd, with a creamy lemon roundness followed by sea water and dashi. Strangely, this does actually remind me of a softer style Chablis. I usually don’t say this because most of the time on CT when people say a California Chardonnay tastes like Chablis they are dead wrong, but something about this one strikes the same chord. Nice. (1659 views) | |
| Tasted by acidqueen on 8/4/2018 & rated 91 points: Lots of lemon curd. A bit soft on opening, but firmed up with more air. Longer decant? It held up well to the mildly spicy red pepper in our food, and seemed to be better for it. (1979 views) | |
| Tasted by alanr on 7/23/2018 & rated 91 points: Medium hay gold in color, starts out with some nice medium intensity fruit, good acidity, then turns a bit tight, losing some depth through the mid-late palate, finishing quite mineral, with just a hint of saline. Would like just a bit more depth and intensity. Edit: well, the wine was originally open and aerated for an hour or so, but now it's had another couple of hours, and seems to be gaining intensity and depth, more saline through the finish, and still that nice steely mineraly aftertaste. A unique Chardonnay, I can't think of anything else in California like this. (2341 views) | |
| Tasted by Matt T on 7/10/2018 & rated 92 points: Lots of flowers and fruit. Good balance. Drink or hold. (1370 views) | |
| Tasted by Nutty08 on 5/13/2018 & rated 92 points: Bright, mostly lemon curd on the most and palate. Given the age has a plush mouthfeel, though still tart on the finish. Finishes with steel and stone nuances. (1495 views) | |
| Tasted by dougie on 3/3/2018 & rated 93 points: Beautiful. A bit of everything while bring balanced and lemon. Low alc. (1480 views) | |
| Tasted by Matt T on 9/27/2017 & rated 93 points: Very impressive and balanced. Lemon, cream, and gunflint on this. Excellent complexity. Drink or hold. (1493 views) | |
| Tasted by *Vine* on 9/24/2017: Popped and poured, pale straw tinged with green. Delightful aromas of lemon verbena, green apple, honeysuckle, sea spray and an impression of chalky minerals. Moderate body, deceptively concentrated. Sour apples, stone fruits, sliced pear and even a hint of the tropical...awesome fruit. The finish is accentuated by an impression of saline minerals that's carried by plus acidity. This is truly fantastic, just some killer Chard! Quick comment: If opening soon, give this a good 45-60 minutes -- goes from "good" to "killer" that quickly. (1509 views) | |
| Tasted by Frank Murray III on 8/5/2017: Opened and added some chill via some ice. Then, to the glass. Bit of oak shows, both toasted and vanilla aromatics. Lots of lemon here, light river rock and very much medium weight. Basic complexity, more elegant in tone. Ready to drink, I'd say. (1780 views) | |
| Tasted by Matt T on 5/14/2017 & rated 91 points: Really nice, complex chardonnay. Crisp, fruit forward, lingering finish of tropical fruits. (1640 views) | |
| Tasted by Jay Hack on 4/1/2017 & rated 88 points: It's not that this is a bad wine, but let's say this note is the anti-AFWE backlash. You think maybe they could have had a bit more patience and let the grapes ripen a bit. It is not necessary to pick the grapes so early that you are worried about the effect of the high acidity on your tooth enamel. I checked the website and there are no tech sheets, so I can't tell if it is actually or perceived acidity.However, the ABV is 12.2%. And it's bone dry. You have to go out of your way to get such low ABV in California in a bone dry wine. There are flavors other than searing acidity and they are nice flavors. I wish they had waited a few weeks and let the acidity subside so that the fruits would have precedent. There is pear, tart apple and dry honey. Some orange peel. A bit of wood. (1978 views) | |
| Tasted by t_moderne on 10/6/2016 & rated 89 points: Opened, poured a little out to offer a glass to a friend, re-corked and then served about 30 minutes later. Light color, reminding me of a sauvignon blanc. Nose shows grapefruit peel and some honeysuckle. Fresh flavor of lemon, peach skin and white grapefruit. Good acidity but not shrill or overly tart. Light in flavor but enjoyable and quite fresh. Label states 12.2% abv. (2185 views) | |
| Tasted by wondersofwine on 9/29/2016 & rated 87 points: 12,2% abv. Pale gold color--less color than the other CA Chards I've been opening this month. Delicate white flowers on the nose (apple blossoms?) verbena, and hint of celery leaves. This was quite acidic on the palate. While I like this, I have had other Chards from Ceritas that I would rate higher than this one. I had this with shrimp scampi and wild rice. It had enough acid to cut through a creamy sauce on pasta or fish. (1948 views) | |
| Tasted by Oskiwawa on 9/17/2016 flawed bottle: corked (2021 views) | |
| Tasted by dougie on 9/13/2016 & rated 92 points: Lemon and citrus. A touch of cream. Light and sharp acid. Wow! (1861 views) | |
| Tasted by gmbdds on 8/28/2016 & rated 91 points: Lemon, pear and chive/green onion notes. Piercing acidity and really great focus. Compelling wine done well. (1923 views) | |
| Tasted by B Paul on 6/30/2016: Similar to my previous bottle. Drinking well. (1743 views) | |
| Tasted by Burgundy Al on 5/31/2016 & rated 91 points: Chardonnay Shootout (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Tasted blind in young Chardonnay flight. Orchard fruit throughout with floral notes. Moderate weight and nunace. Well balanced. Easy to enjoy. I mistakenly thought this was from Burgundy. (2535 views) | |
| Tasted by MAXIMUM SATISFACTION on 4/30/2016 & rated 91 points: Closed off but still crisp and fresh. Lots of lemon, toasted bread, flowers, and stone. Needs several more years. (1917 views) | |
| Tasted by B Paul on 4/5/2016: It's drinking well, though I suspect it will continue to age well for short to mid-term. This was a step up from a recently consumed Marena. (2025 views) | |
| Tasted by Rich S on 9/7/2015 & rated 94 points: Consistent notes with previous bottle. The nose and palate were popping with aromas and flavors and great taut acidity on the palate. Just killer. (2554 views) | |
| Tasted by David_T on 4/27/2015 & rated 91 points: Aromas of lemon peel, pear, apples and minerals. The flavors match with citrus and minerals up front then green apple and a hint of herbs. Medium acidity and strong minerality add structure. Drinking well now but likely not at its peak and should age several more years. (2727 views) | |
| Tasted by WG Johns@n on 4/20/2015 & rated 92 points: A very impressive bottle that has evolved well in the past year. It was a great complement to a 2010 Bilaud Simon MdT I had beforehand. This bottle has minerality, saline, and tart citrus flavors in spades. The oak regimen is barely noticeable, and the acidity is in check. For my decanting regimen, I decanted the entire bottle the day before for appox. 3 hours. I returned to bottle and then decanted again the next day for 2 hours. This method worked well and the wine showed no flabbiness and the color was little changed. Based on this, I will let my last bottle sit for 3 years. I only wish I bought more. For me, this is right up there with Heintz and PB. (2585 views) | |
| Tasted by Rich S on 4/19/2015 & rated 93 points: Light yellow color. Great nose right out of the gate with lemon custard, crushed rocks, citrus peel and a bit of buttered apple. Really pretty. Similar flavors on the palate with the citrus and apple coming through and a focused mineral, saline type flavor on the back end and a slightly creamy mouthfeel with just the right amount of oak. Great acidity and a long, smooth finish. Killer bottle of chard. (2443 views) | |
| Tasted by cartime on 4/2/2015 & rated 90 points: Improved from the last bottle. Starting to come out of its shell. Will probably hold the next bottle for a couple years at least. (2140 views) | |
| Tasted by eoinhharkins on 1/31/2015: The lemon characteristic here is really pronounced, with support play from sea spray, crushed rock and an interesting orange peel hint, palate has a high level of focus and while there is decent persistence just for me personally lacks a little of the depth of flavour the nose had (2481 views) | |
| Tasted by fine137 on 1/25/2015 & rated 90 points: Well made, but these may be just a little too lean and acidic. (2368 views) | |
| Tasted by ews3 on 1/12/2015 & rated 92 points: nose is mineral driven, with some floral and green apple notes. palate continues, but adds citrus notes. beautiful freshness from the acidity, and finish carries both acid but also some of the fruit and floral notes. tough to stop drinking this! (3685 views) | |
| Tasted by Nutty08 on 12/17/2014 & rated 91 points: Quite pale gold. Nose of toast and lemon curd. Palate is balanced, with fine acidity but still retains a roundness to the attack. A little toast comes out again on the finish. Nice, if somewhat fore-square. Oak stands apart a bit (could be lees?) needing some time. (2545 views) | |
| Tasted by rsbeck on 11/23/2014 & rated 93 points: Citrus, stoney minerals, a bit of pear and a touch of toasty oak. Maintains a sense of elegance and tension through the expanding finish. Lovely. (2477 views) | |
| Tasted by JoeDwine on 11/14/2014 & rated 92 points: Truffle Dinner....Crisp, Stoney. anice start toevening (534 views) | |
| Tasted by ChrisGiggles on 10/25/2014 & rated 92 points: The wine is yellow in the glass, and there was light sediment in the bottle. It smells and tastes like lemon. The body is light/medium, with a silky texture and high acidity. Delicious! (2349 views) | |
| Tasted by wineismylife on 9/2/2014 & rated 91 points: WIML91 Tasted non blind. Light yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Light and delicate nose of floral notes, lychee, pear and wet stones. Flavors of lemon, green apple and tangy pear. Medium acidity full bodied. Drink over the next five years. Dsmt (3055 views) | |
| Tasted by *Vine* on 8/20/2014: Popped and poured, pale straw. Lemon zest, sliced lime, orange blossom, green apple and a pronounced impression of minerals on the beautifully understated nose. Light body, silky. More lemon and minerals on the palate...almost like fresh lemon Italian ice blended with crushed stones, flavors which are electrified by moderate-plus acidity. Lovely Chardonnay, one which will be even better next summer. (2900 views) | |
| Tasted by fdub on 7/30/2014 & rated 92 points: This has really fleshed out a lot in the bottle. Nice lemon lime flavors with a bit of papaya. Fresh acidity with good depth and balance. (2657 views) | |
| Tasted by EMark on 7/8/2014 & rated 92 points: Fairly big nose that leads with melon, but also shows some vanilla/oak. Initial mouth impression is that buttery oak, but it is wiped away, quickly, by refreshing acid. Here we get stone fruit, green apple, and a touch of lemon. A pretty unusual Chardonnay in my view. Even subsequent tastes start with the butter/oak heaviness sensation, but then, again, yields to light and refreshing. (2610 views) | |
| Tasted by KeithAkers on 6/13/2014 & rated 92 points: The (almost) Kick-Off to the World Cup (Domaine Wine Storage, Chicago IL): Nose: The nose is very much on the tight side. It takes a few goes to get much with peaches, citrus notes, white fruits, lemon peels, and a nice mineral base. There is excellent depth that shows as it starts to open(slightly). Taste: Medium bodied with high acidity. The structure is very noticeable right now with peaches, citrus notes, lemon peels, and a lot of minerals. Overall: This needs a few years before its more accessible and has long distance quality to it. This is a fantastic young chard that should reward patience. (3022 views) | |
| Tasted by tooch on 6/13/2014 & rated 89 points: Incredibly tropical and plush. With the balance and leanness I've grown accustomed to with Ceritas' chardonnay's this was a bit of shock. Tangerines, mangos, peaches galore. Despite the intensity of fruit, this still was nice and fresh on the palate. (2936 views) | |
| Tasted by cartime on 6/4/2014 & rated 89 points: Initially, very closed on the nose and extremely light on the palate, bordering on insipid. After 45 min of air, though, some lemon and green apple started to show up. Great acids. Lacking a bit in concentration, but a nice wine. 89-90? (2356 views) | |
| Tasted by Silveradoup on 5/27/2014 & rated 94 points: Great chard, everything is in harmony and in balance. Glad I have more! (2574 views) | |
| Tasted by Mountster27 on 5/9/2014 & rated 91 points: Expressive nose. Slight citrus and then not quite ripe pear with a tart minerality. Short on the finish though. (2417 views) | |
| Tasted by B Paul on 5/6/2014 & rated 92 points: Another great Chardonnay from Ceritas. Picked up on the pear note others have mentioned, which was good and, to me, unique. Should age very nicely for at least mid-term. (2538 views) | |
| Tasted by eoinhharkins on 4/28/2014: Pear, lemon, subtle floral and rocky notes in the background, alate as nice minerality and acidity but seems a little light on its feet from what I expected from the bouquet. (2410 views) | |
| Tasted by rm wines on 4/5/2014: This was good, although not quite up to the level of their 2012 Peter Martin Ray Chardonnay. Good mineral cut on the palate, but there is a pear/waxy note that is slightly discordant to me. Going to revisit this relatively soon to see how the flavors are progressing. (2627 views) | |
| Tasted by tooch on 4/4/2014 & rated 93 points: Chardonnay Shootout & Dinner at Sun Wah (Domaine Wine Storage & Sun Wah - Chicago, IL): Very close to my last note. Lots of minerality, pears, lemons, and floral notes. Powerful, and balanced. (3455 views) | |
| Tasted by tooch on 3/29/2014 & rated 94 points: Sleek aromas of lemon, wet stone, and subtle oak. A real "wow" for me on the palate, though with tons of minerality, cool fruit, and a sharp acidic spine. Completely elegant, and amazingly balanced. (3077 views) | |
| Tasted by fdub on 3/20/2014 & rated 91 points: In the style, AFWE, it is very well done. Much like a young petite Chablis. Only knock is that it is a bit one dimensional right now. Full of lemons and limes, with a touch of a floral element. May benefit with some time in the bottle to let the verve calm a bit. (2558 views) | |
| Tasted by yofog on 2/12/2014 & rated 91 points: Not a lot on the nose right now, but a really pretty, soft yet Chablis-like palate, and grippy finish. (2860 views) |
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| CellarTracker Wiki Articles |
CeritasProducer websiteChardonnayThe Chardonnay GrapeUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-PetersonSanta Cruz MountainsSanta Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association | WikipediaOnce referred to by wine writers as the Chaine d'Or -- or "golden chain" -- the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA sits above Silicon Valley, running along the craggy range next to the Pacific on some of the prettiest parts of Northern California. The area supports more than 75 wineries, despite being limited by geography and high land prices. In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west. |