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| Chasseur Wines is dedicated to small lot, hand-crafted wines in the old French tradition with emphasis on vineyard designates. Our small size (presently about 3,000 cases) allows complete control over the winemaking process, therefore, enabling us to produce the finest wines the fruit has to offer. We are pursuing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay's final and possibly best frontier, Sonoma's 'West County'. Still in its renaissance this area is composed of the western edge of the Russian River Valley, Green Valley and the area of the Sonoma Coast appellation just a few miles in from the ocean. We refer to it as the west county triangle, the area between and around Sebastopol, Freestone and Occidental. | Sebastopol, CA
Phone: (707) 829-1941
Website: http://www.chasseurwines.com
Appellation: Russian River Valley |
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Chardonnay
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2006 Chardonnay
Russian River Valley
When the cork is pulled this proves a wine of vivid contrasts, with intensity that is almost aggressive. Aromas of toasted coconut, vanilla wafer, lemon curd, roasted grain, bees w ... moreax and suggestions of tarte tatin and peach upside-down cake seem to tumble forth. It settles down quickly on the palate, revealing pretty green apple and pear fruit integrated nicely with layers of creamy vanilla, nutmeggy custard and some firming citric and mineral notes. Airing shows it less powerful than its Sonoma Coast sibling and more vibrantly youthful, as it veers down a different path where the refreshment and focus are high, but everything else turns graceful and feminine. Certain to be even more elegant in a few years, it is delicious right now, given time to settle.
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Chardonnay
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2006 Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast
This wine offers a dense and sophisticated perfume, as focused white peach, citron and Fuji apple scents find a comfortable harmony with its almost equally expressive vanilla cream ... more wafer, nutmeg, bees wax and mineral notes. The wines concentration is even more obvious on the mid-palate, where the richness of texture is almost sinewy and the firm lemon-citrus notes cut in for balance. The finish is mouth-cleansing dry, yet the flavors shift toward a more gentle stance, as tarte tatin and toasted hazelnut join more prettified lemon and apple flavors at the end. Delicious now and decidedly food-friendly, it will evolve positively for another few years.
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Chardonnay
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2005 Chasseur Lorenzo Chardonnay
Russian River Valley
Bright, forthcoming and expressive of its distinctive fruit source, this tightly-packed, mineral-infused Chardonnay offers Corton-Charlemagne-like structure and balance coupled wit ... moreh a sense of ripeness and flash that is pointedly Californian. Aromas of apple skin, honeycomb, white peach and preserved lemon are firmed and darkened by strong undertones of gun-flint and toasted grain. In the mouth, it seems charged with fruit energy and is cuttingly crisp, as its compressed flavors of green apple, white peach, nutmeg and vanilla are again foiled by bright acidity and mineral firmness. The finish is ultra long, polished and sleek, with apple skin, white peach, Green Gage plum, bees wax, custard, lemon and flint joining with fine harmony. Terrific, yet it may improve for 5 years.
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Chardonnay
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2005 Chasseur Durell Chardonnay
Sonoma
This concentrated and subtly complex young wine has intriguing mineral, acid and ripe fruit influences and is distinctly different from its siblings. Its array of preserved lemon, ... morepeach pit, bosc pear, bees wax, mineral and toast scents harmonize in a well-developed, but youthfully low-key mix which promises even greater distinction as the wine evolves. It is both rich and subtle in the mouth, but its future direction is evident, as layers of fruit and spice fan out at the end. Firm, but palate-coating, the finish lingers impressively, infused with a dark mineral/toasted oak combination that lurks below grander notes of apple skin, white peach, preserved lemon, peach pit, honeysuckle and dried fruit. Certain to improve for several years, it will be as distinctive as it delicious.
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Chardonnay
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2005 Chasseur Sangiacomo Green Acres Hill Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast
Very reliant on winemaking complexities for its extraordinary sense of range, this deeply fruity effort has a full-bodied, mouthfilling feel on the palate yet is so impeccably bal- ... more anced that it also matches the long-aging potential of Chasseur's Lorenzo bottling without giving up any of the ready, come-hither approach that is the hallmark of the Twin Hill edition. In short, this one comes as close to capturing the best that California has to offer in Chardonnay.
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Chardonnay
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2005 Chasseur Twin Hills Ranch Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast
This wine is densely packed and very youthful to the nose, but gradually expansive; unveiling as it airs, scents of citron, white peach, green apple, flint, vanilla butter cream an ... mored nutmeg in a bold and concentrated display. That impression of coiled strength is reprised on the palate, as citron, peach, apple and mineral notes carve a path through its plush blanket of vanilla cream custard and nutmeg. The finish is long and quietly penetrating, continuing the sense of suppressed drama.
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Chardonnay
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2005 Chardonnay
Russian River Valley
The rich, ripe notes of this wine are of honey and citrus characteristics.
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Chardonnay
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2005 Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast
Nuances of nutmeg and cinnamon come through on the mid palate making this wine a perfect companion to chicken or pork.
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Chardonnay
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2004 Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast
Lush citric notes and brochette dominate this wine in the nose. Nuances of nutmeg and cinnamon come through in the mid-palate and a lively finish makes this wine a perfect companio ... moren with chicken and pork.
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Pinot Noir
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2006 Pinot Noir - Allocation Only
Russian River Valley
This elegant and fruit-forward Pinot is both complex and sweetly ripe to the nose, as scents of red cherries, Mr. Lincoln roses and wild strawberries join subtle smoky tones, some ... moredried orange peel and hints of powdered sumac in a pretty aromatic display. The flavors are more than generous, but never less than zesty: so the palate-feel is sleek, reinforcing the wines fruit clarity and impression of elegance. The finish is an engaging cascade of cherry, rose, red currant, smoke, mineral and spice flavors which linger gracefully. Although the patient can expect several years of further development, this is already a delicious and satisfying wine.
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Pinot Noir
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2006 Pinot Noir - Allocation Only
Sonoma Coast
A challenging vintage the 2006 set a bumper crop. Rain in the spring set the stage for microbial problems in the fall. Excessive heat in the early summer created berry damage. Copi ... moreous fruit thinning at verasion and serious sorting especially by the growers in the field brought in fruit to be proud of. Finally, excessive saignee or bleeding of juice from the must at the fermenter in the winery led to a higher solid to juice ratio creating wines with excellent color and flavor concentration.
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Pinot Noir
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2005 Blank Pinor Noir
Russian River Valley
This Pinot is immediately impressive for its intense, sweet-natured fruit and vivid focus. Its aromas of bright red cherries, dried orange peel and ideally ripened Santa Rosa plums ... more find a charming harmony with smoke, pink peppercorn and mineral elements. Just as precocious, but even more beautifully spiced, the flavors offer pomegranate syrup, sweet cherry, red licorice, dried orange, smoke and roasted grain in a seamless, lingering, progressively more classically-tuned display. Certain to bring great pleasure now for its native fruitiness, it will reward the patient with a truly sophisticated wine that will be more akin to great Burgundy.
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Pinot Noir
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2005 Chasseur Freestone Station Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley
This vineyard has again, as in 2004, produced a splendid and distinctive wine. Its aromas are brightly fresh and show a chiseled focus and wonderful sense of polish, as red cherry, ... more wild strawberry, yellow rose, roasted grain, pink peppercorn, smoke and sweet vanilla join sumac and other hints of Oriental spice in a tightly packed, yet ultra-classy package. The impression of sleek, aristocratic elegance is just as captivating on the palate, where the wines filigree of gentle savory notes melts into its lovely array of red raspberry, wild strawberry, cherry and rose petal fruit. Seeming to grow both lighter in weight and more intense as it airs, this is going to be a truly memorable Pinot. It deserves grand cuisine, preferably after several years in the cellar.
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Vin Gris
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2005 Chasseur Vin Gris
Sonoma Coast
Five gallons from each ton of Pinot Noir was drained off at the destemmer and went to barrel to ferment. Since there is no skin contact this blush wine was barrel aged as a Chardon ... morenay. It is ideally served chilled and is perfect for Sunday afternoon sipping in summer but will also stand up to chicken or pork dishes.
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CrazyAboutWine recommends contacting Chasseur Wines at http://www.chasseurwines.com or calling (707) 829-1941 to verify the winery's location.
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