WTN: Liquid Farm, part 2

Having opened a Golden Slope a few weeks back we now moved on to a Liquid Farm 2013 Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay, White Hill. Definitely leaner in stye, and with less overt oak. At first, something in the fruit screams “gooseberry” to me, or maybe papaya; there’s something puckery about this wine even though it’s actually plenty ripe. But this slightly jolting opening eventually smooths out, and the cool minerality begins to come through. After trying these two bottles, though, I feel a little like Goldilocks. Do they have a third bottling that might be just right?

[Jenise]

Wow am I surprised by the words 'leaner' and 'puckery'. That's not been the case in any White Hill I've had, and I've had the '13 several times. Rather, it's just more Burgundian (elegant) than Californian (tropical)--a difference in style, not substance. Wonder if yours is shutting down? Like, what if you left it open in the refrigerator for 24 hours, what then.

Well, "leaner" compared to the Golden Slope was meant as a characterization of style (and not as a negative). But "puckery" does go to substance: blind, I would have been as likely to guess Sauvignon Blanc as Chardonnay. I'm prepared to believe it was shut down; I also thought it seemed to come into more harmony with some air, though it only got about 2 hours, not 24.

I really should play around with decanting certain whites.

More data is clearly needed!