Beverage of the Week (BOW)
Tongue Dancer Bacigalupi Vineyard Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2022
Product Story
The 2022 vintage marks the eighth edition of their lovely Bacigalupi Vineyard Chardonnay, and we are awed by its consistent greatness. In 2022, harvest can be earlier than usual, landing on a similar date in the 2015 vintage (the first year for this wine). The wine is concentrated and intense, giving all the signals of a long life in the cellar if you can retrain yourself from its obvious early drinking charms. This vineyard features the Old Wente clone — a Chardonnay clone brought to California from Burgundy in 1912 by C.H. Wente. The grapes were all hand-picked and sorted in the field. Like previous vintages, the 2022 Bacigalupi Chardonnay is completely barrel-fermented, and it goes through malolactic fermentation, creating an opulent texture. The wine was then rested, sur lie, for a period of 14 months in French oak (20% new). This amazing and perfectly balanced Chardonnay is made entirely at their Grapewagon Crush facility in Healdsburg.
Brand Story
Tongue Dancer Wines is the creation of James and Kerry MacPhail. If you are a California Pinot Noir lover you likely know James' previous work with MacPhail Family Wines. James knows how to make amazing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and James knows a lot of people who grow spectacular Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. We have been reviewing the wines from Tongue Dancer for the better part of a decade and we have never seen a Tongue Dancer Wine fail to earn Four-Stars or better. Tongue Dancer is constantly innovating, releasing new wines every year while never missing a beat. Last year they surprised us with the release of a great, dry cider! This is a winery to watch. The wines are always in short supply so be swift. Visit their website and join their mailing list to get direct access to their wines.
Tasting Note
Brilliant, light golden color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of green apple, lychee, and oak with supporting notes of mineral, citrus zest, and lemon curd. The palate echoes the nose delivering a ripe orchard fruits-driven core with flavors of pear, slate, vanilla custard, peach, and orange peel. The finish is long and lingering. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an opulent texture.
How to Serve
Serve chilled but not too cold or you will suppress the the subtle nuances abundant in this wine. Pair it with roasted fowl or fatty grilled fish. Of course it really needs nothing but a glass. Try to hold on to a bottle or two until 2027.
Price: $ 55
BevX Review: http://bevx.com/wine-detail/?id=4438
