Nathan Kendall Chardonnay 2020 Finger Lakes

17.5

Tasted from a 10-cl mini sample bottle. The Chardonnay is sourced from two vineyards on Seneca Lake from vines over 40 years old. One site is on silt loam while the other is on shale stone. Spontaneous fermentation, aged for 12 months on gross lees in neutral French oak. Partial malo.
In a (small) line-up of Chardonnays from around this world, this racy, hazelnut-savoury, pithy, effortlessly elegant wine stole my heart and stole the show. This wine is like a liquid Isaiah Zagar; an unexpected mosaic of Chardonnay; metal and smoke and edge and cool-sharp-white, broken glass from the Old World, inlaid with pearls of nowhere; the glitter gleam of New World flash and show and its curve of ripeness and readiness; reckless colour and curve cut with quiet old-as-time tradition and soft stories. Remarkable Chardonnay. I'd happily pay twice the price. GV (TC)

Producer
Nathan Kendall
Grape variety
Appellation
Finger Lakes
Region
Country
USA
Colour
White
Alcohol
12.3%
Score
17.5
When to drink
2022
–
2032
Published on
3 May 2022
Date tasted
Reviewer
Tamlyn Currin
Stockist
£30 RRP Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange, 9 Elms Wines (currently 2018 vintage)