La Luke Chardonnay Carneros 2023
California · Carneros · Chardonnay · white
About this wine
94 POINTS (from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, no less) on a single vineyard, Carneros Chardonnay crafted by Burgundy’s own Stéphane Vivier! La la la la la LA LUKE! Let’s be real, only mid 80s to early 90s era hockey fans are gonna get that reference. (Rick Jeanneret was a legend.) But, no matter. When a wine is THIS good, with critical praise of both 93 (Suckling) AND 94 (Parker) POINTS, with a retail price SLASHED by a full TWO-THIRDS…I can make obscure Buffalo Sabres references and it don’t…much…matter! La Luke is a World Champion hunter-jumper, and — even more important for our purposes today — the fetching stallion that graces this KILLER Chardonnay’s label. Burgundy-born, famed Napa/Sonoma winemaker Stéphane Vivier makes the juice (he also was selected by Aubert de Villaine of D.R.C. to make HdV — a joint project between Larry Hyde and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti), and the rest is fresh, delicious, and delectable history! This Chardonnay has received comparisons to Grand Cru Chablis — and yeah, I can just see it. I’d throw in a splash of Puligny-Montrachet for that slight lean towards spicy opulence, but let’s not split the proverbial horse’s tail here…this golden beauty straight ROCKS!!! Beautifully fragrant and ethereal, with lemon blossoms, fresh cream, and honeysuckle immediately dazzling the senses, followed by explosive flavors of orange marmalade, marzipan, lemon meringue, Gala apples, and lime zest forming the warmly expansive and fruity core, then accented with light spice notes like nutmeg and cinnamon, and a cooling, flinty minerality. It’s round, layered, and plush — but deceptively so…this is elegantly done, and fine-boned like good china. Impressive at the winery retail of $65…but at 66+% LESS?! It’s downright INCREDIBLE! UNDER $25 for single vineyard, 94 POINT, impeccably pedigreed Carneros Chardonnay like this? While it lasts, good people!!! **Also…just thinking ahead — how cool would it be to have an ice trough of these fine fillies lined up at your Derby Day party? May 2nd is just around the corner, and lord knows you can’t pound mint juleps ALL DAY! **
Wine details
- Producer
- La Luke
- Vintage
- 2023
- Region
- California
- Appellation
- Carneros
- Varietal
- Chardonnay
- Blend
- 100% Chardonnay
- Color
- white
- Winemaker
- Stéphane Vivier
- Alcohol
- 12.5
- Last Bottle price
- $22
- Retail price (estimate)
- $65
- Wine-Searcher average
- $32
- CellarTracker score
- 89.8 (5 reviews)
- Critic score
- 94 — Robert Parker's Wine Advocate