Chardonnay, 2020. Mason

There are a lot of people in the wine business. Some of them you can't remember and some you can't forget. Randy Mason is in the latter category. We have followed and been fans for the entire 45 years Randy has been making wine. From his days at Lakespring, to his founding of Mason, we've been fans.

Mason's first triumph was Sauvignon Blanc. That may not sound like a big deal, but when you remember that this was in the 1970s, all of a sudden it was. At the time, few people knew or cared about Sauvignon Blanc. Randy made them care. Then he began making Cabernet Sauvignon and guess what? It was also spectacular. After Cabernet, he conquered Chardonnay. It seemed like any grape he touched, he mastered. You can imagine how thrilled we were to be able to feature one of his wines and show them off to our members. Our expectations are always very high, and they are continuously met or exceeded. This selection exceeded once again.

Our selection is typical Mason. It's a testament to his almost manic attention to detail. His Vista Montone Estate Vineyard accounts for 64% of the blend. He planted one Burgundy clone in one part of the vineyard over 20 years ago. He then blended the rest of the wine from the Suscol Creek Vineyard with yet a different Burgundy clone. The result is a head-turning experience with layer upon layer of lusciousness. There is just enough oak to add balance but not obfuscate the delicate apple and pear flavors and electric finish.

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