Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

It has been awhile since we’ve had the 2014 and it’s evolving nicely.

My suggestion is you chill down the Davis Chardonnay, take it out of chill mode a half-hour to forty-minutes prior to enjoying. Then, get this soft white cheese from Harbison Cellars - Spruce Bark Wrapped Bloomy Rind and the Firehook crackers and enjoy them all together. They are a Heavenly pairing together.

As for the 2014 Davis Chardonnay, the nose reveals, more honey notes, overripe; pineapple flesh, golden apple, sour Meyer lemons. Apricots, peach, lime candy, green apple, beeswax, honeycomb, tangerine notes, saline, excellent, soft chalkiness, limestone & grey volcanic minerals, a little white spice, yellow lilies, fruit blossoms, jasmine with a touch of mixed greens.

The body is full, thick, lush and rich. The texture is gorgeous and sexy...beautifully delicious over the palate. Lots of honey notes, over ripe; pineapple flesh, golden apple, sour Meyer lemons. Apricots, peach, lime candy, more green apple, beeswax, honeycomb, tangerine notes, caramel, a touch of toffee, butter, cream, saline, excellent, soft chalkiness, limestone & crushed, grey volcanic minerals, a little white spice with a touch of heat, yellow lilies, fruit blossoms, jasmine with a touch of mixed greens. The acidity is excellent, round and phat. The long, rich, lush, gorgeous, sexy, well balanced finish persists nicely for minutes.

Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better CA Chardonnay for the money. $36 member price and $48 non-member price.

You want to enjoy this just below room temperature to get all it has to offer.

Photos of, the right side view from their terrace with their signature windmill, the center direct view of the valley floor through to the other side, the Harbison soft white cheese & Firehook crackers to a pair with the Davis Chardonnays.

Their Chardonnays show varying nuisances year to year but, are very consistent in quality year to year. — 7 years ago

David L

9.5

10' Extraordinarily complexed. It rivaled the Harbison in that respect. Need to revisit this again. — 9 years ago

Michael Park

9.4

Wonderful fruits; this is a big wine. Hard to believe it is 12 years old. Drinking perfectly right now. Buttery but with a super crisp finish — 10 years ago

Scott White

9.3

Really nice. Subtle oak. Very complex but balanced. We tasted it next to nickel and nickel and this one may have been better! — 11 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

9.0

Celebrating the week of Premier Napa Valley auction.
Bottle no. 25/60 of 2009 PNV J.B. Harbison. Courtesy of KK Wine (Denmark). — 11 years ago

with Kenneth and Kurt-Inge

DL

8.9

Very sweet, intense smell, kind of musty. Reminded me of Harbison cheese. Tastes sweet, pretty thin, low tannins. Charles liked it — 8 years ago

with C

Rob Brobst III

9.5

Wow! McGah, Tench, Tin Box, Showket, Wildfoote, Harbison all in one bottle!!!! @Jacqueline @Neal Schaffer @Terri Walker @Neal Schaffer @Stanley Barrios @Jim Trobaugh @Vanessa D @leon egozi @Carl Fischer @Connor McMahon @Mike Smith @Martin G Rivard @David L @Doug Davidson @Ian Blackburn — 8 years ago

Kevin Ortzman

9.5

Adam's contribution to the Collectors dinner and it sure didn't disappoint. Yet another big wine from Russell Bevan. Full of fruit and awesome! — 9 years ago

with ADAM

Michael Park

9.2

Crisp, green apples, lemon zest, a bit of a hot finish but it settled with time. — 9 years ago

Mar

9.5

@Jenna Harbison This is my new favorite Chardonnay. — 10 years ago

V M

9.4

Bold and dark sonoma Pinot with Burgundian flavors of tar and smoke cut down the middle with a juicy streak of blackberry down the middle — 11 years ago

Mara Welton

9.7

Almost like a Lambrusco! Perfect with a slight chill and some sour bread, Harbison cheese smear, sun on face. Bliss. — 12 years ago

David L

9.2

12’ Love Jim Clendenen wines. Almost impossible to find a good Pinot Noir for $40 in Russian River Valley. For the money all of his wines are tough to beat. Except the overpriced Harbison wines that he produces. ( Russell Bevan makes Harbison Cabernets & Jim makes the others) IMO. Edit- Find a 2012 (at this price)that’s drinking this nice from the same area? This has many years left in the bottle! — 8 years ago

Michael Park

9.3

Always awesome. Montrachet with less structure and acid — 9 years ago

Ed Ballina

9.1

Paired with Oma and Harbison cheeses. sweet start but somewhat bitter finish. Oma cheese well balanced and firmly creamy. Harbison does not pair as well, leaves a bitter finish. Oma is a much better pairing choice — 9 years ago

Lauren Beward

9.0

Amazing find! Sampled this at a local tasting - aroma is fragrant with a hint of spice. Taste is wonderfully smooth with a strong finish. Pairing very well with our Harbison Cellars cheese. $10 price point at my local store! — 10 years ago

V M

9.7

Beautiful sweet aromas of warm brown sugar, graphite, and black cherries. Similar on the palate with vanilla and sugar plums on the long finish. Not a hard edge to this wine. Silly smooth tannins. Awesomeness in a bottle. What u get when u take a vineyard that shares a fence line with screaming eagle and Russell Bevan as the wine maker. This hush hush wine has minuscule production — 11 years ago

Michael Park

9.4

Very balanced after opening up an hour in — 11 years ago