Chardonnay Watson Ranch 2020

ARNOT-ROBERTS

Chardonnay Watson Ranch
2020

Product code
769383
Format
6 x 750ml
Listing type
Open
Status
Available
Type of product
Still wine
Country
United States
Regulated designation
American Viticultural Areas (AVA)
Region
California
Subregion
Napa, Napa Valley
Varietal(s)
Chardonnay
Colour
White
Sugar
Dry
Closure type
Cork
Producer's website

About this winery

Duncan Arnot Meyers grew up around wine. His father's best friend was Bernard Portet of Clos du Val, and much of Duncan's youth was spent in Napa Valley. He was mentored by John Kongsgaard and worked side by side with Pax Malhe, Northern California's cult syrah specialist, until June 2008. The "Roberts" in Arnot-Roberts, is Nathan Lee Roberts, second generation master cooper, whose grandmother is Margot Biever Mondavi; Nathan's mother Annie Roberts was executive chef at Robert Mondavi Winery....

See the ARNOT-ROBERTS detail page for more information on this brand

Tasting notes

The Watson Ranch vineyard is perched on a steep hillside overlooking the San Pablo Bay in the southernmost end of the Napa Valley. The vineyard can be seen on the top of the hill just east of the Green Island Vineyard which we sourced fruit from 2007-09. Exposed and austere, the Watson Ranch is a wind whipped site planted in 1993 by the talented grower Salvador Ramos on marine deposits over limestone. This soil type is extremely rare on the North Coast and lends itself perfectly to growing world class Chardonnay. This soil coupled with organic farming techniques and cool windy conditions give this parcel great potential to produce Chardonnay of singular character.

Press reviews

Vinous

- 93 points -

January 2019

The 2017 Chardonnay Watson Ranch is a gorgeous wine. Apricot, chamomile, dried flowers, sage and dried pear are all laced together in this super-expressive, inviting Chardonnay. Readers should be prepared to cellar the 2017, as it is quite closed today. Bright saline notes add freshness and zip to this super-expressive Chardonnay.

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Vinous

- 93 points -

Antonio Galloni, January 2023 (Vintage 2021)

The 2021 Chardonnay Watson Ranch is broad, creamy and super-expressive. Dried pear, apricot, chamomile, dried flowers, mint and herbs are nicely laced together in this savory, expressive Chardonnay. Give it a few years in bottle to soften.

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Vinous

- 92 points -

January 2016 (Vintage 2014)

The 2014 Chardonnay Watson Ranch is deep and intense, with distinctive floral and savory notes that flesh out as the wine shows off its ample frame. Dried apricot and chamomile add further shades of dimension. These vines, planted on clay over limestone yield an especially generous style of Chardonnay within the Arnot-Roberts style.

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Vinous

- 92 points -

Antonio Galloni, April 2020 (Vintage 2018)

The 2018 Chardonnay Watson Ranch is creamy, open-knit and expressive, and also the most approachable of the Chardonnays in the range. Orchard fruit, chamomile, almonds and dried flowers all meld together seamlessly. This is a very pretty Chardonnay from a cool site at the southern end of Napa Valley.

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