Full Review

Lawer Estates

Lawer Estates
2019 Cannon Block Unoaked, Chardonnay, Knights Valley

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Shellfish Turkey

Category: Chardonnay

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.4%
90 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$32

Lawer Estates
2019 Cannon Block Unoaked, Chardonnay, Knights Valley

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Shellfish Turkey

Category: Chardonnay

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.4%
Straw color. Interesting aromas and flavors of heirloom apples, honey on granola, wild lemon, dried flower petals, and ripe peach with a satiny, crisp, fruity light-to-medium body and a silky, intricate, medium-long finish displaying notes of pineapple cake with no oak flavor. A juicy, grown-up, smooth-sipping Chardonnay with great varietal character.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Fruity, Juicy & Smooth & Non-Oaky
Aroma Aroma: heirloom apples, honey on granola, wild lemon, dried flower petals, and ripe peach
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with notes of pineapple cake
Sweetness Sweetness: Fruity
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years with food and on its own
Recipes Pairing: Turkey, Roasted Chicken, Boiled Lobster
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A juicy, grown-up, smooth-sipping Chardonnay with great varietal character.

The Producer

Lawer Family Wines

The Producer
1255 Lincoln Ave
Calistoga, CA 94515
USA
1 703-909-2975

Their Portfolio

90 Lawer Estates 2018 Cannon Block , Chardonnay, Knights Valley 14.8% (USA) $28.00.
89 Lawer Estates 2018 Betsy’s Vineyard, Viognier, Knights Valley 14.9% (USA) $28.00.
93 Lawer Estates 2016 Vineyard Select, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley 15.2% (USA) $95.00.
94 Lawer Estates 2016 Vineyard 600, Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga 14.7% (USA) $65.00.
BR Lawer Estates 2019 Rosé, Pinot Noir, Knights Valley 13.8% (USA) $22.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Lawer Estates 2019 Rosé, Syrah, Knights Valley 13.8% (USA) $25.00. - Bronze Medal
92 Lawer Estates 2018 Betsy’s Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Knights Valley 14.5% (USA) $32.00.
90 Lawer Estates 2019 Betsy’s Vineyard, Viognier, Knights Valley 14.5% (USA) $30.00.
90 Lawer Estates 2019 Cannon Block Unoaked, Chardonnay, Knights Valley 14.4% (USA) $32.00.
90 Lawer Estates 2019 Cannon Block, Chardonnay, Knights Valley 14.4% (USA) $36.00.
90 Lawer Estates NV Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine, California 13% (USA) $25.00.
91 Lawer Estates NV Brut Reserve Sparkling Wine, California 13% (USA) $22.00.
93 Lawer Estates 2017 Betsy’s Vineyard, Syrah, Knights Valley 14.9% (USA) $42.00.
96 Lawer Estates 2018 Barrel Select, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 14.9% (USA) $115.00.
96 Lawer Estates 2018 Barrel Select, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 14.3% (USA) $115.00.
92 Lawer Estates 2019 Betsy’s Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Knights Valley, Sonoma 14.5% (USA) $42.00.
93 Lawer Estates 2019 Barrel Select, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 14.6% (USA) $115.00.

Chardonnay

Wine Glass White.jpg
Serve in a White Wine Glass
Chardonnay is arguably the world’s most famous white variety, thanks to its success in France’s Burgundy region as well as throughout much of California. Chardonnay on its own has rather straightforward, pleasant aromas of apple and pear, but when aged (and sometimes fermented) in small oak barrels, the wines take on extra richness as well as notes of toasted almond, vanilla and yeast.

The most renowned examples of Chardonnay are from small villages and vineyards in Burgundy, such as Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. These wines are very powerful with ample spicy notes and very good acidity; they age very well, sometimes as long as 20-25 years. Another part of Burgundy, Chablis, is home to more restrained style of Chardonnay. Certain areas of California, especially Russian River Valley in Sonoma and Santa Barbara County are also home to many distinguished examples of Chardonnay, with those from the latter region often displaying tropical fruit flavors.

Given that most Chardonnnays are aged in small oak barrels, there has been a movement as of late to give consumers a mored delicate style of Chardonnay, without all the spicy and toasty flavors. Thus there are now many producers that produce non-oak aged Chardonnays; this has been seen from many producers from Australia as well as a few in California as well.

Chardonnay, especially oak-aged versions, are quite rich and need seafood of equal richness at the dinner table. Thus lobster, halibut and swordfish are ideal food pairings.