Beverage of the Week (BOW)

Product Story

The 2023 vintage marks the ninth edition of Tongue Dancer Wines’ superb Bacigalupi Vineyard Chardonnay. This wine is consistently fantastic, but the 2023 vintage is surely out of character. This wine is typically rich and opulent, but due to the cold weather in 2023, its many gifts were delivered in a subtle, restrained package, and we absolutely love it. In 2023, we can hear the viola and oboe playing their parts perfectly, allowed to shine as the typically bombastic brass and percussion obscure their contributions. The grapes were all hand-picked and sorted in the field. Like previous vintages, the 2023 Bacigalupi Chardonnay is completely barrel-fermented and undergoes malolactic fermentation, creating an opulent texture. The wine was then rested sur lie for 15 months in French oak (20% new). This wine for the ages 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 have never seen a Tongue Dancer Wine fail to earn Four-Stars or better. Tongue Dancer constantly innovates, releasing new wines yearly while never missing a beat. Once, they surprised us by releasing 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.