Now, it may be hard to believe that the 2010 Cluver Chardonnay is actually both richer (indeed much richer) and finer (with less prominent new oak and a pH of only 3.18) than the all-everything, World-beating 2009. After all, that wine was a Parker 92, Tanzer 93, Jancis Robinson 18/20, Decanter 18.5/20, top wine ever at the Old Mutual Wine Trophy Show with a 96-point average score, winner of the Five Nations Wine Challenge…in short, the most successful Chardonnay at such a low price ever.
Of all the hot new (and revered old) producers on Howell Mountain, none may be better right now than the tiny Spence Vineyards. And no wine Spence has yet made equals their brilliant 2005 Cabernet. In fact, it was one of only five Howell Mountain Cabernets (and the least expensive of these at $65) to earn the top “A” rating in a recent tasting featuring nearly all of the top Howell Mountain reds of the past few years.
This would be our “yardstick” red, the wine against which we measure all others…except none would measure up. Nowhere but in Argentina – and really nowhere but at Fabre – can we find a wine of such supreme quality for such a reasonable price.
