Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay Reserve 2017

The 2017 Chardonnay Reserve is an intriguing wine. For a vintage that was so torrid, the Reserve remains very much light on its feet. Tangerine oil, hazelnut, passionfruit, chamomile, butter, baked apple tart and pastry lend quite a bit of nuance. Theres good freshness and plenty of complexity. Time brings out the wines textural richness and exotic flair. The 2017 spent ten months in oak and then a year in tank prior to being bottled.

Critical Acclaim

95 Vinous

The 2017 Chardonnay Reserve is an intriguing wine. For a vintage that was so torrid, the Reserve remains very much light on its feet. Tangerine oil, hazelnut, passionfruit, chamomile, butter, baked apple tart and pastry lend quite a bit of nuance. There’s good freshness and plenty of complexity. Time brings out the wine’s textural richness and exotic flair. The 2017 spent ten months in oak and then a year in tank prior to being bottled.

95 Wine Advocate

The 2017 Chardonnay Estate is beautifully expressed this vintage, scented of warm citrus, honeycomb and a singular undercurrent of spices. The palate is satiny with full, ripe fruit energized by bright freshness and mineral character, and the wine finishes very long, pure and uplifted. It improved slowly over several days and will benefit from time in the cellar or a long decant.

94 Wine Enthusiast

There’s a core of pear, light oak, toast and sea spray on the nose of this bottling from the iconic producer. Crushed chalk and almond flavors meet with a streak of lemon blossom on the palate, which is elegantly textured and built to last.

94 Jeb Dunnuck

What I believe to be the current release, the 2017 Chardonnay Reserve is a barrel selection from the estate on the Santa Cruz Mountains. It has a deeper, medium gold hue as well as a reserved yet promising nose of almond paste, golden fruits, toasted bread, and baking spices. Its rich, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and balanced on the palate, with good acidity and the class to evolve nicely for another decade. However, there’s no need to delay gratification either.

92 Wine Spectator

Crisp acidity supports fresh Gala apple and pear tart flavors in this well-structured version, which shows nutmeg and clove accents midpalate that linger into the rich, open-textured finish, with plenty of toasty notes. Drink now through 2025. 326 cases made.