{"product_id":"aubert-uv-sl-vineyard-chardonnay-2021","title":"Aubert UV-SL Vineyard Chardonnay 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAubert’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.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTaste\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhite 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRegion\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout This Wine\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBody: Full body · Acidity: Bright, mineral · Texture: Plush, layered\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBest For\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLobster or crab dinners, gift for a white-Burgundy drinker who wants California, cellar white for 2028–2034\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor Who\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChardonnay lovers who chase Aubert allocations, hosts serving rich seafood, collectors who want a benchmark California white\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimilar To\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePairing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eButter-poached lobster, Dungeness crab, roast chicken with cream, seared scallops, Korean grilled eel (jangeo-gui), aged Comté\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDrink Window\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrink now through 2034. Decant 30 minutes or give it air in the glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollector Note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2021 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMood\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOpulent, coastal, allocation, celebratory\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQ: Is Aubert Chardonnay oaky or buttery?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA: 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQ: What is UV-SL?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA: 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQ: How does it compare to Aubert’s Sonoma Coast Chardonnay?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA: 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"VINS WINE","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56169845424433,"sku":"45800-51","price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0946\/0563\/9985\/files\/aubert-uv-sl-vineyard-chardonnay-2021.png?v=1788816685","url":"https:\/\/vinswine.co\/products\/aubert-uv-sl-vineyard-chardonnay-2021","provider":"VINS WINE","version":"1.0","type":"link"}