Talbott Kali Hart Chardonnay 2020 (75cl, 14.5%)

A 100% Chardonnay from Monterey, California, bottled at 14.5% ABV in a 750ml bottle. Talbott Vineyards was founded in 1982 by Robert Talbott, and this 2020 vintage was made by winemaker David Coventry using fruit from Sleepy Hollow Vineyard and Olson Ranch Vineyard. Fermentation is split 70% in stainless steel tanks and 30% in French oak barrels, with only 5% new oak, followed by nine months of ageing in the same combination. The aroma brings Asian pear, juicy lemon leaf, jicama, melon rind and blanched almond, with a faint toasted-oak backdrop. The palate is bright and slightly electric, with shiso, lemon glaze, green pepper, sliced apple, pineapple, melon, cinnamon and vanilla. The finish is medium in length and creamy, with freshly baked piecrust and lingering citrus glaze, kept clean by the stainless-steel component.