A barrel selection of Old Wente blended from Belle Cote, Ma Belle Fille and La Carriere, the 2019 Chardonnay Cuvee Indigene is a terrific wine. Complex floral, citrus and stone fruit notes appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, lush and pillowy in feel but with a steely backbone of natural acids that provides great length and energy on the finish.

Cuvee Indigene is a top barrel selection of the Belle Cote vineyard with some fruit from Ma Belle Fille and Mon Plaisir. Winemaking consultant Luc Morlet mentioned that this label is intended to capture the richer side of Chardonnay each vintage, emphasized by the majority use of Old Wente clone. This wine gets 15 months in barrel—a bit longer aging than the other wines. The 2018 Chardonnay Cuvee Indigene has wonderfully fragrant notes of lemongrass, lime leaves and orange blossoms that slowly emerge from the glass, giving way to a core of yellow apples and fresh pears with hints of struck flint and wet pebbles. The medium to full-bodied palate fills the mouth with perfumed citrus and apple flavors, supported a refreshing line, finishing long and chalky. Still quite closed, put this one aside for a good 2-3 years and then watch it blossom over the next 12-15 years+. 516 cases were made.

The 2017 Chardonnay Cuvee Indigene springs from the glass with graceful lemon and pear drops scents followed by wafts of honeycomb, ginger ale, jasmine and nutmeg plus hints of sassafras, fragrant hay and almond croissant. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has impressive elegance for this generally more decadent vintage, featuring loads of mineral and savory sparks and seamless freshness, finishing long and with an edifying perfume. 517 cases were made.

The 2016 Chardonnay Cuvee Indigene offers up a rock-star nose of beautifully expressed pear tart, peach preserves, spiced apples and key lime with suggestions of brioche, beeswax, nutmeg and honeysuckle. The palate is medium to full-bodied, elegant and tightly wound with amazing tension and depth, finishing with epic length and many, many mineral and savory layers. This should be very long lived. 506 cases produced.

The 2015 Chardonnay Cuvee Indigene is profoundly scented of honeyed apricots, pear tart, marzipan and brioche with hints of butterscotch, praline and baker’s yeast. The fine, fresh, medium-bodied palate has beautiful elegance and depth, with a minerally core and a citrus lift on the very long, creamy finish. Stunning. 545 cases were made.