From a hillside site, the spectacular 2009 Chardonnay Sweetwater Vineyard (from 100% old Wente clone) reveals notes of white currants, quince, brioche, tropical fruits and loads of a flinty mineral character. It is full-bodied, deep and pure with excellent acids and, like most of these 2009 Chardonnays, slightly lower alcohol than is found in the 2008s and 2007s. Consume it over the next 6-8 years. Tom Rochioli is about as reliable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. One can quibble over whether or not he makes too many cuvees of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but no one doubts that this is a fabulous estate. The wines all come from separate blocks and they offer an education in how different clones perform in sites with different expositions and micro-climates. Rochioli told me that he had no difficulty achieving full ripeness with his 2009 Pinot Noirs. The wines combine freshness and elegance with substantial flavor authority. That is evident across the board with his generic Pinot as well as the five single vineyard offerings. All these Pinots tend to be made primarily from the newer Dijon clones. Tel. (707) 433-2305; Fax (707) 433-2358