Beverage of the Week (BOW)

Product Story

We at BevX have reviewed thousands of wines for nearly two decades since launching in 2006. In this time, just three wines have earned the rare 100-point moniker. Two of these three centurians were made at Tongue Dancer Wines, including this, the fourth edition of their Pratt Vine Hill Chardonnay 2023. The grapes are sourced from Pratt Vineyard, located in Vine Hill. Three great Chardonnay clones are grown here: Mt Eden, Robert Young, and FPS 70 (Dijon). The blend of these clones yields a wine with exceptional complexity and depth, which has consistently scored 95 points or higher since its introduction. In 2023, the weather was cooler than usual, and the grapes hung on the vines for an extended period, resulting in a truly exceptional wine. The grapes were hand-picked and whole-cluster pressed straight to the barrel. It's 100% barrel-fermented and aged in French oak for 14 months (33% new) sur lie (on the lees), which gives it great texture and depth. Finally, it’s bottled unfined and lightly filtered. If you miss this one, you’ll regret it!

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.