Aubert Powder House Estate Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

Powder House is the culmination of Mark Aubert’s 30+ years producing Chardonnay. Planted with one of our rarest Chardonnay clones, Powder House highlights the distinct, powdery Goldridge soils on this hilly site. Winemaker notes The 2024 Powder House Chardonnay exemplifies freshness and liveliness, wafting forth with bright tones of lime leaf and lime curd, tuberose, and fleshy nectarine. Tightly coiled, the 2024 Powder House slowly unfolds and unfurls in the glass to reveal its true structural complexity and deceptive richness. On the palate, chalky mineral elements and cooling menthol reinforce this tight composition and further hint at the underlying power and expansiveness. The wine finishes long and multifaceted, with a beam of acidity that carries its citrus tones across the palate for minutes on end. A wine built for ageing, the 2024 Powder House will continue to blossom well beyond a decade with proper cellaring. The wine is slightly hazy, showing our commitment to minimal intervention winemaking. - Mark Aubert 2023 Vinous 97: The 2023 Chardonnay Powder House finds Mark Aubert at the top of his game. Rich and unctuous in the glass, the 2023 has it all. Preserved lemon, white flowers, slate, mint, tangerine oil, lychee, and a kiss of French oak fill out the layers. A flicker of reduction adds freshness as this opulent, large-scale Chardonnay shows off its alluring personality. Wine Spectator 97: Distinctive and aromatic, with notes of fresh-cut Fuji apple, crunchy star fruit, lemon cream, ginger and jasmine. There’s an appealing firmness to the acidity. Toasted, salted hazelnut, toffee and crunchy sea salt gain momentum on the finish, along with touches of toasted green tea and vetiver on the creamy finish. 2024 Vinous 95-97: The 2024 Chardonnay Powder House opens with soaring aromatics. Creamy and viscous, yet also remarkably refined, the 2024 is all class. In this tasting, the Powder House is a bit shy, just a touch reticent. Its long, persistent finish suggests a bright future lies ahead. Jeb Dunnuck 99: The 2024 Chardonnay Powder House Estate reveals aromas of Mt. Eden brioche, wet stones, spice, and green Williams pear. Rich and intense on the palate, it balances its concentration with remarkable purity and freshness. Lime oils, green apple, and a subtle toasty lift emerge. Mark attributes the reductive character to be vineyard-derived rather than oak-driven, and the estate’s two rootstocks contribute both sappy richness and vibrant acidity. Despite reaching 15% alcohol, it carries itself with the finesse and balance of a much lower-alcohol wine. One of the stars of the range. Drink 2026-2045.