Aubert UV-SL Vineyard Chardonnay 2021

Aubert’s far-west Sonoma Coast Chardonnay from the brilliant 2021 vintage — 96 points from Wine Advocate, 99 from James Suckling, from a mailing-list-only producer.

Taste
White peach, toasted hazelnut, lemon meringue, and citrus zest over crushed stone and a saline, iodine edge. Full-bodied and plush yet contained — brioche richness held in check by mineral drive and a long umami finish.

Region
From the UV-SL Vineyard near Occidental, six miles from the Pacific on the far-western Sonoma Coast — named for grower Ulises Valdez and his Stoetz Lane ranch, planted with Mark Aubert to a mix of heritage Chardonnay clones. Barrel-fermented, full natural malolactic, no lees stirring. About 2,000 cases.

About This Wine
Body: Full body · Acidity: Bright, mineral · Texture: Plush, layered

Best For
Lobster or crab dinners, gift for a white-Burgundy drinker who wants California, cellar white for 2028–2034

For Who
Chardonnay lovers who chase Aubert allocations, hosts serving rich seafood, collectors who want a benchmark California white

Similar To
If you like Kistler, Peter Michael Belle Côte, or Marcassin, this is the same rich, coastal California Chardonnay register — with Aubert’s signature density and salinity.

Pairing
Butter-poached lobster, Dungeness crab, roast chicken with cream, seared scallops, Korean grilled eel (jangeo-gui), aged Comté

Drink Window
Drink now through 2034. Decant 30 minutes or give it air in the glass.

Collector Note
2021 was a special Sonoma Chardonnay vintage — a cool summer with no heat spikes and a late, gradual harvest. Wine Advocate scored the UV-SL 96 in July 2024; James Suckling 99 and #37 in his Top 100 USA 2022; Wine Spectator 94 with a window to 2034. Aubert sells only to its mailing list, so retail supply is thin. Buy 2: one now, one for 2030.

Mood
Opulent, coastal, allocation, celebratory

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Aubert Chardonnay oaky or buttery?
A: Rich, yes; heavy, no. Aubert barrel-ferments with full malolactic but does not stir lees, so the wine has brioche and hazelnut richness with a mineral, saline core. Critics found the 2021 fresher and more floral than the 2022.

Q: What is UV-SL?
A: The vineyard’s name, not a technical term. UV stands for Ulises Valdez, the grower who farmed for Aubert, and SL for Stoetz Lane, the road to his home ranch near Occidental. Aubert makes both a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir from the site.

Q: How does it compare to Aubert’s Sonoma Coast Chardonnay?
A: The Sonoma Coast bottling is Aubert’s appellation blend and the entry point. UV-SL is a single-vineyard wine from one of the coldest, most coastal sites in the range — more intensity, more minerality, and more cellar life.