2017 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay Platt Vineyard | Sonoma Coast California 750ml

...Orange peel, mint, chamomile, dried flowers and buttery notes infuse this sumptuous, oily Chardonnay... | 94 points, Antonio Galloni

Whereas Purrington Rued was a bit of an unknown to us, we knew to expect great things from Platt. After a less than stellar 2016, we now feel that we have captured all the greatness of this site. Perched near the top of the range in Freestone, this 1.5 acre block of Wente clone Chardonnay came in just above 2.5 tons an acre in 2017. The initial pressed pH of 3 is the lowest we have ever seen at Rivers-Marie. This site is cooler than even Thieriot and that comes through in the character of the wine from its initial, bracing acidity to the long lemon oil dominated finish. Sandwiched in between this are notes of poached pear, honeysuckle, white pepper, white peach and pineapple. There's a mild honeyed note that arches over the wine due to a little botrytis in 2017. The acidity is what you always come back to though, focusing the wine and prolonging the finish for a minute plus. 120 cases produced. | Rivers-Marie

Honeycomb, ripe orchard fruit, a kiss of botrytis, and ample spice notes all emerge from the 2017 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard, which comes from a site on the Sonoma Coast. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has bright acidity, a big mid-palate, and a great finish. It's another powerful yet still balanced and lively Chardonnay from Brown that's well worth seeking out. Drink it over the coming 7-8 years. | 96 points, Jeb Dunnuck for jebdunnuck.com