The 2007 Chardonnay Arcadia Vineyard displays orange blossom, citrus oil, poached pear, and subtle spice in a crisp, medium-bodied style that is refreshing, flavorful, and long. All of the following wines were no doubt made under the old administration of founder and pioneer Warren Winiarski and not under the new owners, the Piero Antinori-led consortium that purchased this winery for $185+ million in 2007. Something obviously has happened over the years, as these wines suggest that the estate has been living off the status quo, somehow forgetting what they accomplished in the 1970s and 1980s. I still own some of the great vintages of Cask 23 from the late 1970s through the 1980s, and several vintages (for example, the 1978 and the 1985) are among the greatest wines in my personal collection. However, in the 1990s, the wines seemed to take on less concentration, complexity, and intensity, became more narrowly constructed, austere, and sadly, rather boring. I suspect we will see, in the red wines from 2007, and particularly in 2008 and 2009, a far higher level of quality from the new owners. Tel. (707) 944-2020; fax (707) 257-7501

Smells a bit underripe, with a whiff of fresh asparagus, and richness is missing in the mouth. The flavors are of citrus fruits, lees, oak and fresh herbs. Nicely dry and crisp, but rather lean. ——S.H.(3/1/2010)—— 86