Awards and Reviews
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate | Wine Spectator Reviews | Connoisseur's Guide
| Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar |
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Chasseur is a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir specialist, and a fine one at that. What follows is not the entire portfolio, but it is a relatively comprehensive look at four Chardonnays and then a bevy of Pinot Noirs from both the 2008 and 2009 vintages. I was able to taste eight already bottled 2009 Pinot Noirs and nine 2008s. The 2008s include several generic bottles such as the Russian River and Sonoma Coast offerings. The single vineyard Pinot Noirs primarily come from Russian River sites with the Joyce from the Sonoma Coast. The alcohol levels range from a low of 14% to a high of 15%, and production levels are modest with several in the 75-125 case range. - Robert Parker - Wine Advocate: #193. February 2011
2009 Chasseur Freestone Station Pinot Noir – 94
The 2009 Pinot Noir Freestone Station boasts an impressively saturated ruby/purple color along with a glorious perfume of black raspberries, forest floor, earth and sweet cherry jam. Good minerality and floral notes also make an appearance in this complex, medium to full-bodied, elegant yet loaded Pinot. It should evolve for a decade or more. Sadly, only 150 cases were produced.
2009 Chasseur Sonoma County Pinot Noir – 92
The 2009 Pinot Noir Sonoma (a much larger production at 550 cases) exhibits a saturated ruby/plum color in addition to abundant juicy black raspberry and cherry fruit. Full-bodied, opulent, fleshy and flamboyant, this hedonistic Pinot is true to its varietal character yet is loaded with pleasure. Enjoy it over the next 4-6 years.
2009 Chasseur Umino Pinot Noir – 91+
The deep ruby/purple-colored 2009 Pinot Noir Umino cuts a deeper, broader mouthfeel. It reveals sweet raspberry and black cherry fruit intermixed with hints of earth, spice and largely obscured oak as well as tangy acids, which seem to be a hallmark of this vintage. This medium to full-bodied, pure, fresh, lively Pinot should drink well for 7-8 years.
2009 Chasseur Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – 91
William Hunter's third generic Pinot Noir is the 2009 Russian River. It reveals a dark ruby/purple color (similar to the Sonoma cuvee) as well as sweet boysenberry and black cherry fruit, a fleshy, concentrated mouthfeel and excellent acidity, freshness and body. This beauty should drink well for 5-6 years. Both the Sonoma and Russian River efforts enjoy impressive levels of concentration in 2009.
2008 Chasseur Lorenzo Chardonnay – 94
There are 125 cases of the 2008 Chardonnay Lorenzo. This is cool-climate vineyard in the Russian River that was first made famous by John Wetlaufer and Helen Turley and subsequently by Landmark Vineyards. The Chasseur 2008 Lorenzo displays exquisite peach, honeyed citrus, orange rind and lemon oil notes with hints of wet rock/minerality. Medium to full-bodied, with stunning concentration, texture, and length, this is a profound Chardonnay to drink over the next 5-7 years, possibly longer.
2008 Chasseur Russian River Valley Chardonnay – 92
The 2008 Chardonnay Russian River has a glorious nose of honeysuckle, buttered citrus, white peach and subtle background oak. The color is a light greenish gold. Rich and classic Russian River, with some tropical fruit notes, this is a 150-case cuvee that should continue to drink well for another 3-4 years.
2008 Chasseur Durell Chardonnay – 90
The 2008 Chardonnay Durell consists of 125 cases. It has a more evolved golden color than the other three Chardonnays, notes of tangerine oil, brioche, and waxy peach-like notes. Softer and seemingly on a fast evolutionary track, this wine has little of the vibrancy and stunning complexity of the Lorenzo, but it is still tasty. However, it is best drunk over the next 2-3 years.
2008 Chasseur Russian River Valley Pinot Noir - 93
The 2008 Pinot Noir Russian River (250 cases produced) exhibits a gorgeous nose of plums, pomegranates, black cherries and damp earth. Orange rind, black cherry and seductive floral notes are all present in this full-bodied, sexy, seductive Pinot. Impossible to resist, this is a sensational Russian River offering to enjoy over the next 4-5 years.
2008 Chasseur Blank Pinot Noir – 92+
he 2008 Pinot Noir Blank (250 cases) displays a deeper ruby/plum color along with good acidity and abundant raspberry, cherry, plum and pomegranate-like fruit. Medium to full-bodied and more concentrated than the Sonoma Coast, it has the potential to last for a decade.
2008 Chasseur Umino Pinot Noir – 91
There are only 150 cases of the 2008 Pinot Noir Umino, which, like its siblings, is bottled with no fining or filtration. Its dark ruby/plum color is accompanied by fragrant aromas of black raspberries and black cherries, fresh acids, spicy wood and a savory, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel. This complex, intriguing Pinot should be consumed over the next 7-8 years.
2008 Chasseur Joyce Pinot Noir – 90
The 2008 Pinot Noir Joyce exhibits some reductiveness on the nose, but that blows off with extended aeration. Sweet aromas of raspberries, black cherries and earth are followed by a wine with excellent texture, abundant red fruits in the mouth and a cool climate, refreshing, medium-bodied style. It should drink well for 5-6+ years.
2008 Chasseur Sexton Pinot Noir – 90
The 2008 Pinot Noir Sexton (150 cases) possesses a dark ruby/plum color as well as notes of ripe apple skins, spice box and forest floor. Medium-bodied, crisp, fresh and lively, it is best drunk over the next 4-5 years as it appears to be on a fast evolutionary track.
2008 Chasseur Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir – 90
The 2008 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast (300 cases produced) reveals more herb, earth, spice and autumnal/vegetative notes than the Russian River. Exhibiting a similar dark ruby hue, it does not possess the breadth of flavor and intensity of its sibling, but it is an elegant, stylish Pinot with abundant fruit, purity and character. Drink it over the next 3-5 years.
Past Wine Advocate Reviews
Wine Spectator Reviews
2009 Chasseur Durell Chardonnay - 92
Builds on subtle, rich, layers of ripe fig, honeydew melon and light toasty oak. Impressive for its creamy texture and layered finish. Drink now through 2017. 176 cases made. –JL
2009 Chasseur Lorenzo Chardonnay - 91
Tight and intense, this is marked by green fig, white peach, wet rock and spicy herbal notes. Full-bodied and slow to unwind, but expansive on the finish. Best from 2012 through 2019. 110 cases made. –JL
2009 Chasseur Sangiacomo Green Acres Hill Chardonnay - 91
A rich, full-bodied style, with plenty of depth and flavor built around tiers of fig, honeydew melon, green apple and roasted marshmallow. Shows a trace of rawness in the texture, but otherwise very complete. Drink now through 2018. 176 cases made. –JL
2009 Chasseur Freestone Station Pinot Noir - 92
Firm and complex, with a berry pie mix of dark fruit that's full-bodied, spicy and trim, ending with a minerally sour berry aftertaste that lingers. Drink now through 2018. 142 cases made.–JL
2009 Chasseur Joyce Pinot Noir - 91
Distinct olallieberry, huckleberry, spice and cinnamon give this personality and charm. Full-bodied, tight and complex, gaining depth and persistence on the finish, where the tannins give a clipped, spicy and stewed tea edge. Best from 2012 through 2020. 45 cases made. –JL
2009 Chasseur Umino Pinot Noir - 90
Firm and spicy, with ripe plum, wild berry, cedar and cherry pie scents. Full-bodied, gaining tannic traction on the spicy finish. Best to cellar. Best from 2013 through 2020. 296 cases made. –JL
2009 Chasseur Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir - 92
Firm, rich, intense and concentrated, with dense wild berry, black cherry and raspberry flavors laced with mineral and anise. Dense and chewy. Just a baby. Best from 2012 through 2020. 214 cases made. –JL
2009 Chasseur Sonoma County Pinot Noir - 92
Firm, structured and tight, with floral, wild berry, dried berry, mineral, spice and light cedar flavors. Full-bodied, gaining momentum on the finish, where the tannins and acidity give this a chewiness. Best from 2012 through 2020. 562 cases made. –JL
2008 Chasseur Sexton Pinot Noir - 93
Delivering a complex beam of spicy berry fruit that's full-bodied, rich and layered, this is tight at the right points and ends with pleasant loamy earth, forest floor and plummy berry notes. Drink now through 2016. 196 cases made. –JL
Broad, rich, intense and layered, with cola, sassafras, wild berry, sage, mineral and spice flavors that are full-bodied and concentrated, picking up complex loamy earth, dried berry, sage and cedar notes. Drink now through 2016. 149 cases made. –JL
Serves up a trim, spicy mix of sour berry, black cherry and wild berry fruit that's full-bodied and slow to unwind, but as it does this is expansive, gaining richness and ending with touches of tea and herb. Drink now through 2016. 77 cases made. –JL
A racy, savory style, with intense, compact wild berry, sage, herb and anise notes. Full-bodied and firming, ending with tight sour cherry and spice flavors. Expands on the finish. Drink now through 2014. 351 cases made. –JL
Intense and spicy, with a pleasant loamy earth edge to the flavors of dried berry and dried currant flavors. Full-bodied, this tightens up at the end, where the tannins are firm and chewy. Drink now through 2015. 277 cases made. –JL
Offers a tart, complex array of red and dark red fruit, with pomegranate, huckleberry, loamy earth and dried berry flavors. Full-bodied and tightening on the finish, ending with drying tannins. Drink now through 2016. 251 cases made. –JL
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
Deep ruby. The darkest in character of this year’s pinots, displaying scents and flavors of blackberry, bitter cherry, sassafras and candied violet. Completely stains the palate, showing a suave interplay of richness and vivacity, with spice and floral notes gaining strength with air. Repeats the violet and cherry notes on the strikingly long, precise, energetic finish.
Saturated ruby. Deeply pitched, explosive aromas of black raspberry, Indian spices, chocolate and cocoa powder, complicated by intriguing potpourri and rose flavors. Shows alluring sappiness on the long, penetrating finish, which strongly echoes the spice and floral notes. This wine reminded me of (very) high-end, new-school Vosne-Romanee.
Bright ruby. Sexy, expressive aromas of black raspberry, Asian spices and musky flowers, with a slow-building incense note and a hint of black tea. Then sweet and supple in the mouth, with expansive red and dark berry compote flavors and a seamless texture. Becomes spicier with air and finishes with energetic mineral lift and striking purity. This is delicious right now but has the depth and balance to age.
Lurid Ruby. Assertive aromas of black raspberry, cherry-cola, anise and musky underbrush. Then juicy, tightly wound and sappy, with incisive flavors of red and dark berries, candied rose and mocha. This vivacious wine gets all over the palate. Finishes taut, bright and persistent, with a whiplash of sweet dark berries. Delicious now but I’d stash it away for at least another four or five years.
Bright ruby-red. Intensely perfumed, exotic aromas of strawberry and raspberry preserves, spice cake, candied flowers and incense. The spiciest and highest in pitch of this set of pinots, offering juicy red berry flavors and strong suggestions of candied rose, star anise and cinnamon. Very pure wine with outstanding finishing cut and persistence.
Saturated ruby. Spice-accented raspberry and cherry on the nose, with complicating mineral and floral qualities building with air. Racy wild strawberry and bitter cherry flavors gain flesh and heft with air, packing a serious punch. The long, sappy, spicy finish features strong mineral and rose pastille flavors and a refreshing kick of blood orange. This wine offers excellent up-front appeal.
Vivid ruby. Higher-pitched than the Sonoma County version, displaying scents of wild strawberry, redcurrant and raspberry, along with sexy Asian spice and floral nuances and a hint of white flowers. Racy and precise in the mouth, with pure red fruit flavors underscored by tangy minerality. Finishes clean and brisk, with very good clarity and lingering florality.
Bright ruby. Perfumed aromas of cherry-cola, sandal wood, rose and iron. Sweet, spicy and supple, with a mineral nuance adding lift to the sappy strawberry, raspberry and floral flavors. Quite suave and approachable, finishing with building spiciness, dusty tannins and lingering florality.
Bill Hunter told me that he is looking to make big, full chardonnays that develop nuance with age. "I want to get the complexity that only comes with yeast autolysis," he told me. "And that doesn't start until after 12 months on the lees so I'm aiming to bottle about 18 months after the harvest. Any earlier and you've got a different animal." Hunter is bullish on 2008 for chardonnay, declaring that these wines are at least as good as the '07s and maybe even better. "There's an extra degree of concentration there but the balance is right too." This producer continues to fly under the radar and has to be one of the best sources in California for serious, complex chardonnay and pinot noir that does not yet have a rabid following. - Josh Reynolds, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar. Issue 150: May/June 2010.
2009 Chasseur Gewurztraminer Valley Foothill Anderson Valley - 89
Bright yellow. Spicy aromas of peach, marzipan, honey and orange zest. Spicy and focused on the palate, offering tangy citrus and pit fruit flavors and good mineral snap. Tight and nervy for the variety, with very good finishing clarity and persistent spiciness.
Greenish gold. Slightly reduced aromas of lemongrass, lime and musky flowers, with a touch of candied ginger. Opulent and chewy yet fine-grained, with terrific energy to buffer the sweetness of its orchard fruit, Meyer lemon and floral flavors. Boasts a large structure but this is impressively graceful. Tactile, palate-coating and very long on the subtly smoky finish.
Bright yellow-gold. Pungent aromas of pear skin, melon and underripe pineapple, complicated by building smokiness and a strong iodine quality. Chewy in texture, with powerful orchard and pit fruit flavors braced by zesty lime pith and mineral notes. A flavor of licorice comes up with air and carries through a long, spicy, mineral-driven finish. There's lots going on already but this is built to age.
Greenish yellow. Penetrating citrus, floral and mineral scents are complemented by deeper notes of toasty lees and smoke; reminds me of a Coche-Dury wine in its smoky, mineral-driven expression. Densely packed lemon, orange and pear flavors are firmed by dusty minerals, with the smoky note repeating. Finishes tangy and focused, with talc and floral notes.
2008 Chasseur Russian River Valley Chardonnay - 91
Greenish-gold color. Orange peel, pear and smoky minerals on the nose, with complicating hints of clove and iodine. Sappy and dense, with emphatic spicy character to the flavors of poached pear, lemon custard and honeycomb. Finishes with building minerality and very good length, repeating the smoky, iodiney quality.
2008 Chasseur Holder Pinot Noir - 93
Saturated red. Sexy, assertive aromas of red fruits, Asian spices and musky herbs, plus a touch of smoky minerality. Silky in texture, spicy and concentrated, with an enticing sweetness and serious stuffing to its red fruit and floral pastille flavors. This tactile, expressive wine really stains the palate with bright red fruits, anise and spicecake.
Deep red. High-pitched red berries and flowers on the nose, with complicating notes of star anise and rhubarb. Tangy, finely etched red fruit flavors are given a firm edge by bitter cherry pit and pick up an exotic candied floral quality with air. Impressively precise and light on its feet, but at the same time very concentrated. A deeper note of blackberry arrives on the long, sappy, focused finish. This could be enjoyed now with a couple hours of aeration
Saturated red. Captivating aromas of fresh raspberry, Asian spices and incense, with hints of rhubarb and dried flowers. Sappy and broad but impressively energetic, with its impressive stuffing and volume leavened by intense minerality and spice. Finishes with excellent clarity and spicy thrust. This very young but graceful wine is deceptively easy to drink now.
Dark red with a bright rim. Raspberry and strawberry preserves, star anise, cinnamon and potpourri on the nose, lifted by pungent minerality. Silky and penetrating, with impressive volume to the sweet flavors of cherry, raspberry, spicecake and candied rose. Finishes with impressively fine-grained tannins that spread out and are quickly absorbed by the sweet fruit.
Ruby-red. Pungent aromas of black raspberry, smoky herbs and pungent minerals, with a slowly mounting rose element. Lush and deeply pitched on entry, then creamy and sappy in the middle, with a compelling spiciness lifting the red and dark berry flavors. This young but already nicely balanced and vibrant wine gains power on the back half. Finishes with velvety tannins and strong thrust. This one definitely deserves patience.
Vivid ruby. Reticent, soil-inflected aromas of sappy black raspberry, cherry, wilted rose and cola; seems to be the most masculine of the vineyard-designated pinots this vintage. Then alluringly sweet and rich if quite primary, with potent flavors of dark berries, bitter cherry and mocha. This impressively concentrated wine stains the palate on the lengthy finish, closing with fine-grained tannins and an echo of dark cherry.
Bright ruby-red. The most powerful and brooding of the regional pinots, offering ripe cherry and dark berry scents and slow-building spiciness and florality. Deep and chewy, with black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors and a late note of candied rose. Gains brightness with air and finishes with very good cut and peppery spice character. This one also deserves some patience.
2008 Chasseur Russian River Valley - 91(+?)
Vivid ruby. Primary red fruit aromas are complicated by sassafras and minerals. Lively, focused strawberry and raspberry flavors slowly unfurl to show a deeper cherry quality and a hint of anise. A sexy rose pastille component arrives with air and carries through the long, sappy finish. Give this some air or hold off on opening it for another couple of years.
2008 Chasseur Sonoma County Pinot Noir - 90
Deep, bright red. Sexy aromas of black raspberry, cherry preserves, licorice, minerals and rose. Wonderfully precise and vibrant, with terrific cut to its intense red and dark berry and floral flavors. But this is still youthfully tight and bound-up. A bit more pliant on the back end, finishing with excellent grip and length and a lingering hint of spicecake. This is an excellent value in top-notch California pinot.
Connoisseurs' Guide
Much in the manner of its equally rich mate from the Russian River Valley, Chasseur's Sonoma County bottling is a wide open wine of compelling richness and depth. It is similarly surprisingly forthright and easy to taste even if young, but it is the preferred of the pair by dint of its better balance and length. Its ripeness comes without the price of palpable heat, and, if delicious now with richer foods ranging from lightly smoked salmon to pork, it has a bit in reserve and will grow for another couple of years.
Intense, highly concentrated and all out in the open, this broad, absolutely mouthfilling wine holds true to the Chasseur credo of undisguised richness. There is no question but that it is close to being a little too much of a good thing, but, even if very oaky and a touch hot, it is absolutely brimming with sweet fruit and gets thumbs up for its sense of sheer size and depth. It strikes us as one that will show best when drunk young, and it needs to be paired with savory fare.
Deeper, a bit better structured and showing more long-range potential than its Russian River Valley mate, Chasseur's Sonoma Coast offering is decked out with all the rich oak and positively pulpy, ripe cherry fruit that have come to be the winery's calling cards. If on one the one hand very direct and generous now, it is very well-balanced and teases with tantalizing glimpses of what is sure to become an increasingly complex and layered wine if left alone for a few years.
The most sophisticated, refined member of the Chasseur brigade, this handsomely crafted effort builds upon its center of energetic, keenly focused red cherry fruit with notes of dried flowers, vanilla beans and the slightest whiff of evergreen. It is the brightest of the group as well, and its medium-full body affords it a slightly livelier step. Its latter palate impressions are both long and firm, and they augur well for years of quiet improvement that will add to its elegant stance.
This bottling stands in fairly sharp contrast to its mate above in that it is the ripest and most obvious of the Chasseur group. Its modestly lower price might suggest that the winery is less thrilled by it, but we are happy to recommend it to you as a deep, well-stuffed Pinot whose concentrated character and coating, fleshy palatefeel make it a fine choice to drink now while waiting for its mates to come around.
Fairly vigorous in cast with an intriguing mixture of well-ripened black cherries, hints of dried flowers, a touch of brush and some dusty, slight caramelly oak in the nose, this full-bodied effort has both depth and length on the palate and sports a quietly evident sense of layering. Latter palate acidity accentuates its tannins just now but time in the bottle of some three to six years is sure to be the right approach.
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