99pts Jeb Dunnuck

Not yet bottled, the 2022 White Wine Life & Death is rock star stuff, offering a rich, opulent, and yet complex profile. Honeyed orange, caramelized white peach, toasted spice, and flower oil nuances all define the aromatics, and this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mouthfeel, beautiful purity and precision, and a great, great finish. It's going to rank with the creme de la creme of the vintage.

95pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Tasted prior to its July bottling date, the 2022 White Wine Life And Death is a blend of 69.5% Chardonnay, 26.9% Roussanne and 3.6% Marsanne from the Sanford & Benedict, Bien Nacido and Stolpman Vineyards. It spent 22 months in 85% new French oak. The nose here is a striking combination of waxy and layered aromas of stone fruit, tropical fruits, bright spice tones and an undercurrent of pleasing caramel richness. The palate is lavish and quite full-bodied, displaying impressive power and polish while remaining energetic and focused. It concludes with a succulent, clean acid profile that welcomely braces its otherwise massive frame. This was very enjoyable and should be fascinating to follow through bottling into its aging curve.

Winemaker Notes

There's nothing we love more than converting red wine drinkers into white wine drinkers. The last 5 releases have done just that by offering unctuous, creamy, full-bodied white wines that make your 'Cabernet-only' drinking grandfather change his tune. The 2022's are no exception. Deep gold in the glass with dazzling scents of toasted brioche, wet rock and vanilla bean. Slightly tropical, with notes of raw honey, caramel, marmalade and ginger coat your palate. If you think white wines tend to be less powerful and/or complex than red wines, this one is for you. The exact blend is comprised of 69.5% Chardonnay, 26.9% Roussanne and 3.6% Marsanne coming from three exquisite vineyards - Sanford & Benedict, Bien Nacido and Stolpman. This crowd pleaser was raised for 22 months inside of 85% new French oak and, per usual, not a single drop was racked, fined, cold stabilized or filtered. 20 barrels produced.

Blend : 69.5% Chardonnay 26.9% Roussanne 3.6% Marsanne