The Transparency of FEL Chardonnay

In my experience, the FEL wines are made to emphasize freshness and varietal expression. The 2018 Chardonnay continues this theme. Blended from picking dates ranging just over a month from several vineyards planted with a wide variety of Heritage clones and Dijon selections, the wine is whole cluster pressed, fermented in neutral French oak barrels, limited in malolactic fermentation and aged on lies with no stirring for ten months. 

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FEL 2018 Chardonnay Anderson Valley 13.7% $32
I've been a big fan of FEL wines across the board, so this wine surprised me a bit. It's good, no doubt, but it lacks that extra bit of oomph and charisma that the FEL wines usually show, even in their early stages. However, given that I have tasted so many FEL wines over the last several years, I feel that it is safe to assume that it is just young and needs some more time in the bottle to flesh out.

Incredibly well-priced, this is a nicely concentrated wine that is pure, clean and clear in its origin and varietal characters. It's rather minerally and closer to lean than lush, especially with its forward citrusy notes. Highly primary and straightforward flavors of pear nectar are nuanced with a hint of toasted, sliced bread crust. Though thorougly medium-bodied, the wine is rather light in flavor development and finish at this point. 
Drink: 2020-22