Talley Vineyard Wine Reviews

2002 Estate Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 92 Points
The 2002 Chardonnay Arroyo Grande is a selection from both the Rincon and Rosemary's vineyards in the southern section of San Luis Obispo county. Its light, delicate gold color reveals a hint of green. With coaxing, restrained aromas of white peaches, apricots, citrus, and hazelnut oil emerge. In the mouth, it is medium to full-bodied, firm and steely, with beautifully integrated wood, lively acidity, and a generous mouthfeel with everything in balance. This gorgeous, still young white promises to age nicely for 5-6 years. It reminds me of a premier cru from Puligny-Montrachet.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90 Points
Varietally accurate, perfumed aromas of flowers, soft citrus fruits, apple and pear. Sweet, lively and rather delicate on the palate, with flavors of lemon, lime, chalk and flowers. Very pure and not at all overoaked, but with excellent intensity and thrust. Finishes subtle and persistent. It's always refreshing to find this style of chardonnay in California.

California Grapevine - 89 Points
Medium-light golden yellow; attractive, toasty, lemony, green apple aroma with a light hint of butterscotch; medium-full to full body; forward rich, lush, toasty, citrus and ripe pear flavors; well balanced and firmly structured; lingering aftertaste. Highly recommended.

2002 Rincon Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 94 Points
Displaying a more forward style than the Rosemary's cuvee, the 2002 Rincon Vineyard Chardonnay possesses buttered citrus, and tropical fruit notes, large body, a light gold/green color, stunning purity as well as an expansive texture, a lively mouthfeel, and a long, mineral-dominated finish. Like its siblings, it is an unevolved, youthful Chardonnay that promises to last for 5-6+ years.

Connoisseurs' Guide - 91 Points
Optimally ripened and fully decked out with lots of very good oak, this second of two very fine wines from Talley marries plenty of very deep, concentrated fruit with notes of toast and vanilla and a wee hint of tropical sweetness. It is both lush and remarkably well-balanced in feel, and its very long and layered finish is brightened by just the right touch of fruity acidity. Withal a very tasty wine that wants serving with appropriate foods, it promises to shine with the likes of salmon in sauce or buttery lobster recipes.

California Grapevine - 91 Points
Medium-light to medium golden yellow; intense, toasty, buttery, citrussy, appley aroma with a note of mineral and butterscotch; full body; forward, plush, intense, spiced apple flavors with a supple, rounded, full mouth feel; well balanced and structured; lingering aftertaste. Deserves another year or two of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 89 Points
Subtle aromas of apple, pear, peat, nutmeg and roasted grain. Fat but juicy, with ripe flavors of apple, pear and dusty baking spices. Not especially complex but offers good texture and a clean, lingering, brisk finish.

2002 Rosemary's Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 94 Points
Exhibits a slightly deeper golden hue (than the 2002 Estate Chardonnay) along with a sumptuous nose of hazelnuts, peaches, apricots, and lemon oil. Full-bodied, with an underlying crushed stone-like minerality, restrained yet authoritative flavors, marvelous richness, yet remarkable elegance as well as delineation, this brilliant Chardonnay should drink well for 4-7 years.

Connoisseurs' Guide - 95 Points
The slightly bigger of the two Talley twins, the latest bottling from Rosemary's Vineyard is downright unctuous and oozing with fruit. Its broad and very deep sweep of flavors and smells is always sweetened with oak, and, while fairly full-bodied and fleshy in feel, it shows exceptional balance much like its mate. So rich and so accessible as to defy further keeping, it offers tantalizing glimmers of further complexity and layering to come. It is, always, in too short supply, and it is one to seek out with urgency.

California Grapevine - 92 Points
Medium golden yellow color; attractive, forward, intense, buttery, tropical fruit aroma with hints of toasted hazelnut; full body; big, plush, concentrated, highly extracted, buttery, ripe tropical fruit flavors; firm acidity; lingering aftertaste. Shows distinctive varietal character as it developed with airing in the glass. Well balanced for such a big wine. Very highly recommended.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 91 Points
Pale gold color. Complex nose melds orange zest, gunflint, butterscotch and smoky oak. Rich, deep and tactile, with subtle notes of orange zest, earth and spice. Really explodes on the back end, finishing with palate-dusting spices and excellent length.

2002 Estate Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 88 Points
Good medium red. Wild red berries, mocha, coffee and smoky oak on the nose. Supple and juicy, with concentrated red berry flavors perked up by firm balancing acidity. Rather oaky in the middle palate, but finishes with light tannins and good lingering sweetness of fruit.

California Grapevine - 88 Points
Medium ruby; attractive, initially subdued, herbal, slighly stemmy, tight cherry fruit aroma that developed with airing in the glass; medium-full body; rich, ripe cherry fruit flavors with notes of toasty oak; well balanced; medium-full tannin; slightly tart finish; lingering aftertaste. Highly recommended.

Wine Enthusiast - 88 Points - November 4, 2004
Oaky, with a blast of smoky char and caramel riding over cherry vanilla. Wonderful mouthfeel, rich, full-bodied and dry, and lush in tannins and acidity. Near-perfect balance.

"Wine of the Week" Los Angeles Times - October 6, 2004
Hard to believe this estate-grown Pinot Noir from Talley Vineyards comes in at about $27. Made from grapes grown on two vineyards in the Arroyo Grande Valley, the 2002 is a fine example of Central Coast Pinot Noir. Steve Rasmussen, the Talley family's longtime winemaker, has 18 vintages under his belt and has teased out a Burgundian character in this Pinot. Soft and lush, tasting of ripe blackberries and cherries, it's drinking beautifully now. Serve it with just about anything, from a selection of charcuteries or a Sunday night roast chicken to a veal daube or a simple roast. —S. Irene Virbila

Connoisseurs' Guide - 90 Points, 1 Puff - October, 2004
If showing the same pure-cherry fruit as its pricier partners, this engaging effort from Talley is a touch less generous in character and lacks the sense of layering displayed by the former. Still, it is a lovely, fruit-driven wine of real balance and finesse, and it will drink beautifully in the next few years while its bigger brethren develop with age.

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 89 Points
Talley is one of the finest Pinot Noir producers in California. Their medium deep ruby-colored 2002 Pinot Noir Estate exhibits tight aromatics of sweet plums, cherries, and pomegranates along with medium body, and sweet berry flavors that cascade over the palate with adequate acidity and tannin. This elegant, restrained Pinot Noir offers a stone fruit, mineral, earth, and berry concoction reminiscent of a Morey-St.-Denis premier cru. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years.

Paul Lukacs, The Washington Post
The difficult-to-find "Rosemary's Vineyard Pinot Noir" from Talley just may be California's finest, but this more-affordable rendition does not lag far. It marries ripe, rich fruit flavor with remarkable finesse.

2002 Rincon Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Wine Enthusiast - TOP 100 WINES OF 2004 - Dec 31, 2004
Selected Wine #4 of TOP 100 WINES of 2004. (see review, below.)

Wine Enthusiast - 94 Points - November 4, 2004
Just beautiful. Smoky oak, chocolate, cherry, vanilla, sweet herbs, lavender, thyme, oriental spice, just goes on and on. Huge, rich, balanced and so smooth, bursting with ripe, sweet fruit. Gorgeous tannin-acid balance, and such a delicate mouthfeel.

Connoisseurs' Guide - 95 Points, 3 Puffs - October, 2004
Talley's Rincon Vineyard bottling is quite the stunning success in this vintage, and it provides a somewhat different look at Pinot than does its mate from Rosemary's. It is no less deep in fruit, but it finds touches of rich, loamy earth that are all its own, and its ready sense of ripeness comes with the richest of oak in league with its varietal cherries. An opulent and mouthfilling wine with a fine fleshy feel, it has the careful sense of structure and the slight finishing firmness to guarantee that its best is several years away.

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 94 Points
The deep ruby/purple-hued 2002 Pinot Noir Rincon Vineyard boasts a superb bouquet of blackberry and cherry fruit intermixed with forest floor and earth characteristics. Abundant quantities of opulent flavors are found in this exceptionally elegant, finesse-styled effort. It coats the palate, but it is neither heavy nor alcoholic. This beauty possesses measured richness, nobility, and intensity with a finish that lasts 50 seconds.

California Grapevine - 91 Points
Medium ruby; attractive, forward, intense, complex, ripe, spicy, bright cherry and raspberry fruit aroma with distinctive varietal character; full body; big, rich, concentrated, ripe black cherry fruit flavors with notes of creamy oak; well balanced and structured; medium-full to full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Developed with airing in the glass. Deserves several more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 91 Points
Bright, dark red. Bright aromas of redcurrant, pomegranate, spices and minerals; higher-pitched than Talley's other 2002 pinot releases. Juicy, sappy and nicely balanced, with flavors of fresh berries, baking spices, bitter chocolate and tar. Also showing its oak, but boasts a strong core of lively fruit and a viabrant, long aftertaste.

Wine Spectator - 90 Points
A tasty young Pinot, with rich, fleshy plum, black cherry and wild berry fruit that's supple and focused, finishing with firm, ripe tannins and a dash of earthiness. Drink now through 2008. 375 cases made.

2002 Rosemary's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Wine Enthusiast - 93 Points - November 4, 2004
An amazing Pinot Noir, very serious stuff. Big, bold, dark and decadently rich. Oozing with cherry pie, mocha and oak, with gorgeously firm acids and a smooth, complex texture. Just outstanding.

Connoisseurs' Guide - 94 Points, 2 Puffs - October, 2004
From its keenly concentrated, deeply fruited aromas to its wonderfully rich and extracted flavors, this is clearly a wine to be reckoned with. It is impressively layered with elements of wholly ripe cherries, vanilla, black walnuts and sweet wood smoke making it far more than a simple display of fruit, and it is broad, fleshy and wonderfully velvety in feel. While there is plenty to like at present, the wine has lots in reserve and will soften further with bottle age.

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 94 Points
The 2002 Pinot Noir Rosemary's Vineyard reveals a deeply pigmented ruby/purple color as well as a gorgeous nose of violets interwoven with raspberry, plum, and sweet cherry scents. Medium to full-bodied, strikingly elegant, pure, and layered, with classic Pinot Noir richness without heaviness, and multidimensional, youthful, stunningly proportioned 2002 should drink well for a decade.

California Grapevine - 93 Points
Medium to medium-dark ruby color with purplish tinges; attractive, rich, intense, comples, earthy, ripe black cherry and raspberry fruit aroma with overtones of vanilla; full body; big, forward, rich, concentrated, very ripe black cherry fruit flavors with good depth; well balanced and structured; medium-full to full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Shows distinctive varietal character as it developed with airing in the glass. Deserves several more years of bottle aging to reach its potential. Very highly recommended.

2003 Oliver's Vineyard Chardonnay, Edna Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 90 Points
From a site in the southern part of San Luis Obispo County, the light straw/green-tinged 2003 Chardonnay Oliver’s Vineyard offers complex aromas of honeyed lemon blossoms, expansive palate, excellent acidity, a zesty, refreshing personality, and a long, ripe, complex, concentrated finish, it will drink well for 2-3 years.

Connoisseurs' Guide - 90 Points
Exotic hardwood spice leads the way in the concentrated nose of this initially reticent wine, but, with a bit of warming and air, well-ripened fruit takes center stage in both the aromas and the solid young flavors. If moderately full in body, this one is more structured than it is oily in feel, and its slight bias to finishing firmness will make it a good choice for service with fatty fish and tangy shellfish dishes.

California Grapevine - 90 Points
Medium-light to medium golden yellow; attractive, forward, toasty, buttery, pineapple and tropical fruit aroma with notes of coconut, vanilla, and butterscotch; full body; forward, rich, slightly viscous, creamy, mouth-filling, lemony, spiced apple and tropical fruit flavors; well balanced and structured; lingering aftertaste. Shows distinctive varietal character and should continue to develop with another year or two of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 89 Points
Clone 4 chardonnay, a low-yielding California selection (planted in 1988 and 1989). Medium yellow. Stone fruits, pineapple, lime, wheatmeal and a hint of clove on the nose. Juicy and flavorful, with pineapple and more tropical fruitflavors complemented by spicy oak and buttered wheat toast. Sweetness is nicely buffered by fresh acidity. Persistent, fresh finish shows vanillin oak, baked apple and a slight tannic impression.

2003 Estate Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Wine Spectator - 89 Points
A bold, rich, mouthcoating style, with ripe pear, apricot, spice, fresh earth and citrus flavors that pick up a nice touch of smoky-toast oak on the finish. Drink now through 2006. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 89 Points
Bright yellow. Broader nose shows more minerals and clove than primary fruit and tropical character. Sweet and dense but much less forthcoming and aromatically expressive today than the Oliver's. But fuller, more layered, more Burgundian. Finishes with a leesy nuance and some coconutty oak.

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 88 Points
Exhibits plenty of white peach characteristics as well as a hint of tropical fruit, and a crisp, medium-bodied, fragrant, elegant, feminine, fruit-forward style. Its wood component is completely hidden by good fruit, decent acidity, and admirable texture. Drink this beauty over the next 1-3 years.

2003 Rincon Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 93 Points
The 2003 Chardonnay Rincon Vineyard possesses a baked apple skin/honeysuckle/apricot-scented nose. Exotic and ripe, it cuts a broad swath across the palate revealing the subtle influence of French oak, and along, layered, concentrated finish. It’s a brilliant Chardonnay to enjoy over the next 3-4 years.

Wine Spectator - 88 Points
Complex earth, fig and spicy wood flavors veer toward a hint of butterscotch and lemon custard. Intense and concentrated, it's also elegant and can benefit from cellaring. Drink now through 2009. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90(+?) Points
Slightly less lucid pale yellow-straw color. Subdued but pure, fruit-driven aromas of pineapple, nectarine, peach and nutmeg. Then spicy and firm in the mouth, with a solid mineral spine and plenty of extract. A distinctly hillside style of chardonnay, finishing uncompromisingly dry and quite youthful. A blend of Clone 4 and a Wente Hyde clone. The yield here was just 1.3 tons per acre, vs. a normal 2.5.

2003 Rosemary's Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 92 Points
The 2003 Chardonnay Rosemary’s Vineyard’s light green/gold color is accompanied by complex aromas of lemon oil, orange blossoms, and acacia flowers with notions of pineapple and high quality French oak in the background. In the mouth, the wine is restrained, tightly-knit, full-bodied, rich, and ambitious. More importantly, it exudes quality as well as soul and flavor. It should drink well for 5-6 years.

Wine Spectator - 90 Points
Shows a complex mix of ripe, concentrated earth, citrus and green apple fruit, with hints of hazelnut, nutmeg and pepper. Reveals an extra dimension of depth and concentration on the finish. A little time in the cellar should smooth it out. Drink now through 2008.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 91(+?) Points
Shows a complex mix Unfiltered appearance. The most complex of these 2003 chardonnays on the nose, with notes of stone and citrus fruits, baking spices and minerals, along with a reductive flinty nuance. Sweet, dense and fresh; fat but shapely. Hints of ripe apricot with intriguing iodine traces. Finishes long and subtly spicy. This may ultimately merit an even higher score.

2003 Estate Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 90 Points
Complexity, elegance, concentration, and character jump significantly with the 2003 Pinot Noir Estate. A medium deep ruby color is accompanied by sweet cherry, raspberry, and currant fruit intermixed with damp earth and background wood notes. Medium-bodied and pure, with a floral component that emerges as the wine sits in the glass, this stylish, complex Pinot Noir could easily be confused with a high class Volnay. It should drink well for 5-6 years.

Wine Spectator - 89 Points
Rich and well-defined ripe cherry, wild berry, sage and dusty-cedary oak combine to give this finely balanced wine a tasty core of deep and concentrated flavors. Drink now through 2009.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 88 Points
Red-ruby. Musky aromas of roasted red berries, coffee and earth, with floral and chocolatey suggestions. Sweet, supple and fat with fruit, with a fine-grained texture.

Restaurant Wine - ****+
A rich, full bodied Pinot Noir, with ripe fruit flavors (plum, boysenberry) and layers of oak complexity. Very long finish. Excellent.

2003 Rincon Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 94 Points
The deep ruby/purple-tinged 2003 Pinot Noir Rincon Vineyard (6270 bottles produced) possesses a meaty/beef blood-like character in addition to its impressively pure, deep, floral, sweet cherry and raspberry notes. Velvety-textured and seamless, it offers a beautiful display of fruit with subtle wood, dent acidity, and a long, 40-second finish. This is an elegant, authoritatively rich Pinot Noir to consume over the next 5-8 years.

Wine Spectator - 92 Points
Earthy berry and spicy nutmeg scents unfold gracefully on the palate, offering glimpses of herb, tea and cherry cola. Impressive for its range of flavors, depth and concentration. Drink now through 2009.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90 Points
Full red-ruby color. Rather wild aromas of blueberry, blackberry, plum, cola, brown spices and meat. Sweet, dense and lush, with roasted dark raspberry and spice flavors. Not yet complex but offers very good life and thrust. This shows a lighter touch than the Rosemary's today, even though it's normally the latter wine that's more feminine in style. Finishes with dusty tannins and chocolatey ripeness. The spiciness of this wine comes from the inclusion of 15% to 20% whole berries.

Connoisseurs' Guide - 95 Points, 3 Puffs
Choosing a favorite between Talley's magnificent Pinots is a near impossible task, for as the wine from Rosemary's Vineyard is striking in richness and fruity mass, this bottling is a little more layered, more measured in ripeness and shows and especially fine sense of balance. Both are deep, both are loaded with fruit and both are skillfully seasoned with lovely oak, but when push comes to shove, we opt ever so slightly for the structure seen here and nominate this beauty as simply the best of its class.

InsideBayArea.com - Charles Olken's "Ten Best of 2006"
Always one of my favorite pinot noir producers for this wine and for its Rosemary's Vineyard bottling as well, this version of the grape has been rated at three stars in each of my last three encounters with it. The wine is quite rich and full of varietal character, and it is the kind of wine that begs early drinking on the one hand while promising to get better if cellared.

California Grapevine - 92 Points
Medium ruby with purplish tinges; attractive, forward, intense, spicy, plummy, ripe black cherry and black raspberry fruit aroma with good depth and intensity; full body; forward, rich, plush, ripe black cherry fruit flavors; well balanced and structured; medium-full to full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Developed some complexity with airing in the glass. Deserves several more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

Restaurant Wine - *****
Extremely rich and ripe, this is a voluptuous wine, with intense fruit flavors (blueberry, cherry, blackberry), moderate oakiness, and a very long finish. Unfiltered.

2003 Rosemary's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 92 Points
There 2003 Pinot Noir Rosemary’s Vineyard, reveals violet, cranberry, raspberry, black cherry, plum, and incense characteristics. It offers a deeper ruby hue, medium to full body, great precision, elegance and purity, and a subtle note of oak. One of the finest Pinot Noirs made in California, it will provide immense pleasure over the next 6-7 years.

Wine Spectator - 92 Points
Rich aromas of black cherry, blackberry and raspberry, with a dash of spice and nutmeg. Unfolds gracefully on a seamless texture. Deep and penetrating. Keeps the flavors flowing. Drink now through 2009.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 91 Points
Full red-ruby. Wild, meaty aromas of black fruits, minerals, espresso and mint. The sweetest of these 2003 pinots, with creamy-rich flavors of black fruits, earth, sassafras and minerals. Not hugely sappy but impressively concentrated. A very ripe style of pinot, with flavors just this side of roasted. Long, slow-mounting finish features very broad, fine tannins.

Connoisseurs' Guide - 93 Points, 2 Puffs
Hard-charging ripeness is met by deep, superbly defined fruit at every step of the way here, but, while the wine is never subtle or soft-spoken, neither does it go spinning off out of control at any point. It is fleshy in feel, very full-bodied and underlain by a bit of palpable heat, but its hold on varietal cherries is tenacious. It is an utterly compelling wine as Pinot Noirs go, and it requires mealtime matching with dishes of equal richness such as a standing prime rib or a crown roast of lamb with wild rice.

California Grapevine - 93 Points
Medium purplish ruby; attractive, rich, intense, complex, spicy, smoky, red cherry fruit aroma with overtones of toasty oak full body; big, rich, concentrated, highly extracted, mouth-filling, very ripe cherry fruit flavors; well balanced and structured; medium-full to full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Shows very intense fruit though a bit rough now, needing several more years of bottle aging to reach its potential. Very highly recommended.

2004 Oliver's Vineyard Chardonnay, Edna Valley

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90+ Points
Yellow-gold. Subdued but pure nose shows a dusty, gingery minerality along with some tropical fruit notes. A step up in intensity from the Estate bottling but subtle, dry and understated. In fact, this is downright backward today, and in need of a year or so of patience. Finishes with very good thrust.

Wine Spectator - 90 Points
Spicy clove, cinnamon and butterscotch notes lead to a smooth, rich and creamy-style Chardonnay that packs in lots of delicate flavors and retains an elegant mouthfeel. Drink now.

Wine Enthusiast - 87 Points
So much richer than the '03 and a really nice example of Edna Valley terroir. The wine is brilliant in acidity, giving it an uplifted, bright mouthfeel. The flavors of kiwi, tangerine, and smoky oak are delicious.

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 88 Points
Displaying a light green/gold color, the 2004 Oliver's Vineyard Chardonnay exhibits more buttery, honeyed citrus aromas along with good acidity, medium body, and little obvious oak. It is an attractive mid-weight Chardonnay for drinking over the next 2-3 years.

2004 Estate Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90 Points
Pure, scented nose offers peach, flowers and spicy oak, with melon and lime nuances emerging as the wine opens in the glass. Supple, spicy and dry, with fresh flavors of ripe peach, pineapple and nutmeg. Finishes with sneaky persistence.

Wine Enthusiast - 91 Points
The combination of brisk acidity and perfectly fipened kiwi, tangerine and papaya fruit makes for one beautiful Chardonnay. Oak adds smoky, vanilla and buttered toast notes. The result is a captivating wine, rich and elegantly tailored.

Sunset Magazine - White Wine of the Year ($15-30)
Spicy apple crisp flavors, with a long, creamy finish.

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 88 Points
As always, high class, French-inspired wines possessing ripe California fruit are produced at Talley Vineyards. Beginning at the lower end of the price hierarchy, the 2004 Estate Chardonnay reveals notions of buttered citrus, tropical fuit, and subtle new wood, medium body, and subtle nuances. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.

Wine Spectator - 87 Points
Aromas of smoke and hazelnut carry over to the palate, folding in with earthy citrus and green apple flavors that are firm and taut. Drink now.

2004 Rincon Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

California Grapevine - 91 Points
Medium-light golden yellow; attractive, toasty, intense, ripe tropical fruit aroma with a note of vanilla; full body; crisp, lemony, green apple and tropical fruit flavors; well balanced and structured for some bottle aging; lingering aftertaste. Developed with airing in the glass. (Their 2004 Rosemary's Vineyard bottling is even better. I scored it 92 points, though not tasted with this group.) Very Highly recommended.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90 Points
Bright medium straw. Pear nectar, ripe peach and flowers on the perfumed nose. Sweet, pure and graceful chardonnay with suave flavors of pear, pineapple and vanilla cream. Ripe acids give this clean, unforced wine a lively middle and a firm finish.

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 91 Points
The 2004 Rincon Vineyard possesses complex aromas of buttered oranges, citrus, hazelnut, and tropical fruits. Medium to full-bodied and rich, with good buttressing acidity, this beaurty reveals more oak than its siblings, but it is well-integrated. This cuvee should drink well for 3-4 years.

Wine Spectator - 91 Points
Lively and well-focused, with ripe, vibrant pear, nectarine, mineral and lemon peel. Has excellent structure, with acidity that keeps the flavors clean and refreshing. Drink now through 2010.

Connoisseur's Guide - 92 Points, 2 Puffs
Although its opening aromas of sweet, tropical fruit suggest that this full-bodied bottling might steer to simplicity, the very deep and highly extracted flavors that follow prove that it is anything but. Rife with ripe apples and filled out with lots of rich oak, the wine is solid and quite well structured with layers of fruit and spice. It sprawls a bit just now and wants for a better sense of focus, but there seems little doubt that it will knit together with bottle age, and it should prove to be a potent partner with richer salmon and poultry dishes in a couple of years.

Wine Enthusiast - 92 Points
It's a mystery how, in such a hot vintage, Talley produced this dry, minerally, almost austere Chardonnay. When everyone else was getting mangoes, this wine shows flint along with lime zest and kiwi. Yet the mark of Rincon Chard always has been a steely stoniness. The oak regime is big, but the wine handles it with aplomb. Best now through 2008.

2004 Rosemary's Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 91 Points
Straw-gold color. Subtly leesy aromas of citrus skin and minerals. Sweet and supple in the middle palate, with enticing pear and iodine notes, as well as a primary grapey nuance. Full without being at all heavy. Finishes with a whiplash of flavor.

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 90 Points
There are just over 5,600 bottles of the 2004 Chardonnay Rosemary's Vineyard. Offering a similar [to the Rincon Vineyard Chard] but slightly more restrained bouquet of suble tropical fruit intermixed with assorted citrus, orange rind, and lemon oil, it is a crisp white boasting zesty acidity and a layered texture as well as a mouthfeel. It should drink well for 3-4 years.

Wine Spectator - 91 Points
Straw-gold color. Subtly leesy aromas of citrus skin and minerals. Sweet and supple in the middle palate, with enticing pear and iodine notes, as well as a primary grapey nuance. Full without being at all heavy. Finishes with a whiplash of flavor.

Connoisseur's Guide - 90 Points, 1 Puff
There is a similar bias to tropical fruit as shared by its cellarmate from the Rincon Vineyard, and this wine again shows more range and depth in the mouth than its youthful aromas predict. It is cut off by a touch of coarseness just now as oak and acids come into play at the finish, but it has plenty of stuffing and, like its mate, it seems certain to benefit by a year or two of further age.

California Grapevine - 92 Points
Medium-light to medium golden yellow; attractive, forward, intense, toasty, green apple and ripe tropical fruit aroma with a note of mineral and overtones of charred oak; full body; rich, toasty, baked apple flavors; firmly structured and balanced for some bottle aging; slightly harsh on the finish; lingering aftertaste. A big, bold style of Chardonnay that developed and improved with airing in the glass. Should continue to develop with several more years of bottle aging.

Wine Enthusiast - 95 Points
This year's Rosemary's is dry, crisp in citrusy acids, and wonderfully complex. It shows fresh, sweet pineapple fruit and spicy overtones of cinnamon and nutmeg along with layers of minerals and dried herbs. Easily takes its place in the front ranks of California Chardonnay. Editors' Choice.

2004 Estate Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 88 Points
Medium bright red. Cherry, raspberry, flowers, coffee, mocha and Christmas spices on the nose. Offers a supple texture and a restrained sweetness, with red fruit and spicy oak flavors. Shows a juicy quality but seems a bit blurry for a pinot from this producer. This tightened up nicely in the glass and finishes with ripe but firm tannins.

Connoisseur's Guide - 89 Points, 1 Puff
Now we must admit that this big and mouthfilling wine shows an exaggerated sense of ripeness that pushes it just a bit wide of the Talley norm, but, even with its slight bias to fatness and a tell-tale note of heat at the finish, it has oaky richness to spare and more than enough deep black cherry fruit to be counted as an unqualified success.

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 89 Points
A fine value, Talley's medium to full-bodied 2004 Pinot Noir Estate exhibits a savory, expansive mouthfeel, a deep ruby color, and attractive plum, currant, cherry, spice, and anise-like notes. Fleshy, forward, beautifully pure and rich, this savory, complex Pinot should be consumed over the next 3-4 years.

Wine Spectator - 87 Points
Intense and vibrant, with excellent structure built around the ripe cherry, sage and cranberry flavors. Turns elegant on the finish, even with the firm tannins. Drink now through 2009.

Wine & Spirits - 91 Points
Deep and succulent, this plays bright cherry fruit against darker tones of moss and damp earth. It has the fatness of a fresh mushroom and a cool, stony mineral character that keeps the tension with the fruit. The fineness of the tannin implies good development agead, though it's already a pleasure with beef bourguignon.

2004 Stone Corral Vineyard Pinot Noir, Edna Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 91+ Points
A new offering, the 2004 Stone Corral Pinot Noir possesses a denser ruby/purple color as well as brooding forest floor, deep, sweet black currant and cherry characteristics, medium to full body, moderate tannin, good acidity, beautiful purity, and substantial flavor authority. This gorgeous Pinot Noir comes close to replicating a French Cotes de Nuits. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.

Wine Spectator - 90 Points
Intense, with a streak of earthy mushroom, nutmeg and dried currant and berry flavors that are elegantly balanced. Finishes with a burst of raspberry, rhubarb and cherry fruit. Drink now through 2009.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 92 Points
Good ruby-red. Sappy black cherry, bitter chocolate, cola and a peppery lift on the complex nose. Dense, sweet and juicy, with lovely texture and depth to the red beffy and spice flavors. A major mouthful of raspberry sweetness here. The wine's lush, seamless texture currently cover its firm, ripe tannins, but there's plenty of power on the back.

2004 Rincon Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 91+ Points
The tightest, most structured and tannic of these Pinots, the 2004 Rincon Pinot Noir possesses good acidity, excellent tannin, a deep ruby color, and plenty of briery, berry fuit intermixed with hints of earth, forest floor, and background wood. It requires more introspection and patience than the other cuvees. Give it another 1-2 years of cellaring and consume it over the following decade.

Wine Spectator - 90 Points
Loads of rich, concentrated Pinot Noir, with tiers of plum, black cherry, blackberry and wild berry shaded by tight, cedary oak. Finishes with a standoff between the oak and fruit, but it should benefit from cellaring. Drink now through 2009.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 92 Points
Bright ruby-red. Superripe aromas of wild strawberry, black cherry, brown spices and mocha. Rich and sweet in the mouth, with compellingly sappy raspberry flavor enlivened by minerality. As sweet and sexy as this is, it's also even more tangy than the Stone Corral bottling. Finishes with firm, dusty tannins and noteworthy energy and length.

California Grapevine - 92 Points
Medium ruby; attractive, forward, intense, complex, spicy, slightly peppery, black cherry fruit aroma; full body; forward, rich, fleshy, very ripe black cherry fruit flavors with good depth and concentration; firmly structured; medium-full to full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Appealing to taste now as it developed with airing in the glass, though deserving several more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

2004 Rosemary's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 92+ Points
The ruby/purple-tinged 2004 Rosemary's Vineyard Pinot Noir offers aromas of sweet kirsch and raspberries along with hints of black currants and spicy oak. It is a full-bodied, elegant, floral-styled Pinot with significant flavor authority. Displaying more structure and tannin than its siblings, it will benefit from another year or two of bottle age, and should drink well over the following decade.

Wine Spectator - 93 Points
Rich and intense, with a tight beam of spicy, peppery Pinto Noir fruit that has a wild berry, plum, blackberry and sage edge, making it notably complex. Ends with firm, dry tannins. Drink now through 2010.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 91 Points
Medium ruby-red. A whiff of rooty reduction on the nose, with notes of black cherry, graphite, chocolate, licorice and forest floor. Suave, supple and sweet, with a lush texture to the flavors of dark cherry, dark raspberry, bitter chocolate and mint. A creamy, ripe pinot, finishing with broad, sweet tannins but less cut and verve than the Rincon bottling.

California Grapevine - 91 Points
Medium ruby color; attractive, forward, intense, spicy, smoky, blackberry and cherry fruit aroma that developed with airing in the glass; full body; forward, rich, concentrated, spicy, very ripe black cherry fruit flavors with notes of clove and vanilla; medium-full to full tannin; a bit harsh on the finish; lingering aftertaste. Impressive to taste now, though deserving several more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

2005 Estate Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

International Wine Cellar - 89 Points
Pale straw-yellow. Pear, flowers, tangy citrus fruits and a hint of nuts on the nose. Big, rich and suave but airy rather than particularly sweet, with bright citrus flavors.

California Grapevine - 86 Points
Light to medium-light golden yellow: pleasant, floral, earthy, slightly buttery, citrus and ripe pear aroma; medium-full to full body; citrus, pear and green apple flavors. Highly recommended.

Business Week - Robert Parker, 10/22/07
The Arroyo Grande Valley winery makes brilliant chardonnays with honeyed citrus and crisp minerality. The Estate cuvee is tops ($26), and the Rosemary's, Rincon, and Oliver's single vineyard wines are outstanding.

2005 Oliver's Vineyard Chardonnay, Edna Valley

International Wine Cellar - 91 Points
Pale straw-yellow. Citrus fruits and spices on the nose. Big, rich and sweet, with a chewy texture and good focus to the firm-edged flavors of spicy citrus fruits and minerals. Layered, deep and quite firm. An adult style of chardonnay, with sound structure and considerable nuance. And a terrific value.

Connoisseur's Guide - 90 Points - 1 Puff
There is enough oak and ripeness in the aromas of this wine to raise a warning that it might have gone over the top, but, even though slightly viscous and fairly full in body, it is buoyant and bright on the palate with a balanced mix of apples, sweet spice and keenly placed acids. It maintains its fine sense of proportion into its lengthy finish, and while it will hold up over time, there is nothing about it not to like now.

California Grapevine - 87 Points
Medium-light yellow; attractive, intense, pear and ripe tropical fruit aroma; medium-full to full body; crisp, citrussy, spiced apple and tropical fruit flavors with an oaky edge on the finish; lingering aftertaste. Highly recommended.

2005 Estate Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90 Points
Deep, bright red. Bitter Cherry and blackberry on the nose, with a primary peppery quality. Juicy dark berry flavors are perked up by zesty minerals and cracked pepper, with taut acidity helping to maintain focus. Finishes sweet, with very good persistence.

Food and Wine Magazine - Top 30 Pinot Noir Wines Globally
Brian Talley’s family has been farming in Central Coast’s Arroyo Grande Valley since 1948, long before they began growing wine grapes in 1982 and producing impressive wines in 1986. This violet-scented, polished bottling shows why the area is now considered one of California’s great sources for Pinot.

2005 Pinot Noir, Edna Valley

2005 Rincon Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Burghound.com - 90 Points
This arguably has the most aromatic complexity of any wine in the range with a striking array of spice, fruit and earth aromas that complement well the rich, full and sweet flavors that are delicious, tangy and vibrant on the admirably long finish.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 92 Points
Saturated Red. Intensely perfumed bouquet of spicy red fruits and exotic rose and lavender scents. Vibrant and pure, with sweet raspberry flavor and an expansive, lively finish. The silky tannins slowly build with air but frame rather than obscure the fruit.

California Grapevine - 91 Points
Medium-light to medium ruby; attractive, intense, spicy, slightly floral, ripe raspberry and cherry fruit aromas with notes of cola, lavender and vanilla; full-body, rich, textured, herbal, cedary, tightly focused, raspberry and and cherry fruit flavors with ; medium-full to full tannin; tight finish; lingering aftertaste. Very highly recommended.

Connoisseur's Guide - 93 Points
Finding a comfortable niche between its slightly sturdier sibling from the Stone Corral Vineyard and its close-to-velvety partner from Rosemary's, this very deep, very well-extracted effort has the same sense of concentrated cherries and flesh as the later and borrows a bit of structural firmness from the first. In truth, this one and the others are wines that will delight the collector of fine Pinot.

2005 Rosemary's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Wine Enthusiast - Top 100 Wines of 2008 - Selected Wine #11 of the Year

Wine Enthusiast - Editor's Choice - 97 Points
This is a great Pinot Noir, the best ever from Talley. The wine somehow combines huge ripe fruit with delicacy. It floods the mouth with profound currant, cherry pie, licorice, cola, raspbelly, cocoa, vanilla and smoke flavors, yet feels light and silky.

Connoisseur's Guide - 95 Points
Intense, deeply drawn and impeccably focused fruit lifts this lovely Pinot to levels that is equaled by few, and its tailored oak sweetness and accents of dried violets make it all the more difficult to leave alone after but one or two sips. It is weighty and plush on the palate, yet it is always in perfect balance, and, but for the fact that it comes with certain promise to reveal even more complexity and layering over time, it is so involving and simply delicious that we would be sorely tempted to drink it up now.

Burghound.com - 91 Points
A higher-toned, fresh and beautifully layered nose of red berry fruit aromas that include wild raspberry and cranberry where the latter element continues onto the silky, sophisticated and stylish flavors possessing a really lovely mouth feel and excellent length. This wine should age effortlessly as there is already admirable harmony of expression.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 92 Points
Deep red. Pungent, mineral-dominated bouquet evokes dark berries, cherry and bitter chocolate. Chewy and deep in dark fruit flavors, picking up suave baking spice qualities with air. Finishes sweet and round, with excellent persistence. This has serious cling.

California Grapevine - 92 Points
Medium-light to medium ruby; attractive, intense, dark currant and black cherry fruit aroma that developed with airing in the glass; full body, rich, supple, textured; firmly structured, well focused raspberry and bright cherry fruit flavors with good depth and concentration; well balanced; medium-full to full tannin; slightly tart on the finish; lingering aftertaste. Deserves another 3-5 years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

2005 Stone Corral Vineyard Pinot Noir, Edna Valley

Burghound.com - 90 Points
A ripe, pretty and distinctly elegant nose with real density of mostly red berry fruit though there is a bit of plum and violet in the mix as well merges into rich, intense and admirably concentrated flavors that possess good detail and excellent length, all wrapped around a moderately tannic finish.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 91 Points
Dark Red. Vibrant rasberry and cherry aromas, with spicy cracked pepper and cinnamon adding complexity. Lithe, sharply focused red berry flavors offer striking purity and focus, finishing with excellent juicy persistence. Nothing loose about this low-fat, well delineated pinot.

Connoisseur's Guide - 92 Points
To call this wine the least of the three Talley Pinots is still a strong accolade in that it its shares with its mates a very deep sense of concentrated, keenly cherry-like fruit and lovely oak and differs largely in its ever so slightly limiting late-palate tannins. Although it does not have quite the same familial polish, it is still as rich as can be, and, with a few years in the bottle to resolve its finishing toughness, it could yet equal its very worthy cellarmates.

International Wine Review - 92 Points
Medium dark ruby in color. Fruit comes from the Stone Corral Vineyard aged 16 months sur lies in 35% new French oak. There are deep aromas of high toned cassis fruit. A very flavorful, attack of abundant red and black fruit leads to a complex, deeply flavored palate and an equally intense and persistent finish. This is a wine that will continue to evolve and improve in bottle.

2006 Estate Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Showing Talley's distinctive elegancy and brilliant structure, this Chard is a blend of the Rincon and Rosemary's vineyards. The wine's architecture really makes it special, providing the bare bones to the lemon, lime, pineapple and mango fruit. A great wine to have with food.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90 Points
Pale Yellow. Mineral-driven lemon and pear on the nose, with a suave note of blood orange adding interest. Precise citrus and orchard fruit flavors show very good concentration, with minerality gaining strength on the finish, which is broad, sappy and long. Admirably balanced chardonnay.

San Jose Mercury News, 7/31/08
Talley Estate Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley, 2006 (Arroyo Grande Valley, California): The fruit comes from the Rincon and Rosemary vineyards, which also render single vineyard bottlings of chardonnay. It went through full malolactic fermentation and was aged in medium and heavily toasted oak barrels, yet it has marvelous integration and firm acid. Floral, with lemon meringue, toasted nuts and minerals, this is chardonnay that will please Burgundy and California chardonnay drinkers alike.

Ken's Wine Guide, 9/8/08 - 89.7 Points
"Very Good" - We found this yellow wine opens with an attractive light citrus and pineapple bouquet. On the palate, this medium bodied wine is balanced, crisp, and bright with tangy lemon and pear like flavors. The finish is quite dry and refreshing. The panel would pair this wine with Dover sole or ham. Enjoy – KWGTP

2006 Oliver's Vineyard Chardonnay, Edna Valley

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 91 Points
Light, bright gold. Ripe passion fruit, melon and poached pear on the nose. Fresh, lightly sweet honeydew and orchard fruit flavors stain the palate, picking up a lightly smoky leesiness with air. Finishes with refreshing citrus bite and impressive persistence. "Always the most tropical of our chardonnays", noted winemaker Leslie Mead.

International Wine Review - 91 Points
Lemon gold. From a low-yielding, single vineyard, the Chardonnay fruit is 100% barrel fermented and aged sur lies 16 months in 30% new French oak. Exudes a ripe, tropical fruit nose with toasty lees notes complemented by a nice, balanced attack of ripe grapefruit, citrus, vanilla, and toast. Silky and round in the mouth with seamlessly integrated fruit and oak. Beautifully done!

Wine Spectator - 90 Points
Intense, vibrant and full-bodied, with a lemony citrus edge to the green apple and pear flavors that pick up a touch of marshmallow and light oak on the finish. Drink now through 2013. -J.L.

Robert M. Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate - 89 Points
There are a 1,000 cases of the 2006 Oliver's Vineyard Chardonnay. Its light straw color is followed by a more intriguing bouquet of crushed rocks, white currants, quince and nectarines. Full bodied, crisp,

Connoisseur's Guide, Oct 2008 - 88 Pts, 1 Puff
Bright, green-apple fruit is teamed with a deft bit of oak spice in the well-defined aromas here, and the wine joins the rest of the Talley clan in showing plenty of weight and size on the palate. It is a bit more direct and not quite as deep as the best of its clan, but it is a seamless and well-polished Chardonnay that will drink well in the near term.

BEVX - 3 Stars
Bright golden color. The nose reveals a dense, semi-tropical note with scents of baked apple, vanilla, and sweet oak. The palate echoes the nose being rich and creamy with a silky soft texture. A classic California styled Chardonnay that finishes a bit drier with a long, lingering finish that last for minutes.

Ken's Wine Guide, 11/9/08 - 88 Points
This yellow wine opens with a traditional buttery and oaky like bouquet. On the palate, this Chard is balanced, creamy, big tropical fruit flavors and noticeable integrated oak and butter. The finish is quite dry and lingers a bit. The panel felt this wine was very California styled and would be a great accompaniment for chicken alfredo or chicken marsala. Enjoy - KWGTP

2006 Rincon Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 92 Points
Hazy yellow color. Exotically perfumed bouquet of orange, pear, toasty lees, smoked meat and baking spices. Juicy tangerine and orchard fruit flavors are refreshingly pure and energetic, with a deeper, smokier lees quality gaining power with air. Finishes brisk and focused, with a lingering note of orange peel. This is already showing impressive complexity.

Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate - 92 Points
Revealing copious mineral-like characteristics, the Chardonnay Rincon Vineyards smells of white citrus, honeyed grapefruit, lemon blossom, and wet rocks. It is a full-bodied, crisp, subtle, delicate, singular Chardonnay to enjoy over the next 3-4 years.

International Wine Review - 93 Points
Medium lemon gold. From the very low-yielding (1.8 tons/acre) Rincon Vineyard, 100% barrel fermented and aged sur lies 14 months in 30% new French oak. Displays aromas of ripe lemon and citrus with accents of lees and smoke. Velvety textured and round in the mouth with very flavorful, ripe passion fruit and seamlessly integrated oak. Finishes long and flavorful with soft, round tannins and good grip. An evolving, intellectual wine that can stimulate an entire dinner conversation.

California Grapevine - 91 Points
Medium- light to medium golden yellow with a slightly hazy appearance (suggest decanting); attractive, intense, buttery, nutty, complex, ripe pear and apple aroma with notes of hazelnut and caramel; full body, big, firmly structures, slightly viscous, ripe pear and apple flavors with a hint of lime; slightly harsh on the finish; lingering aftertaste. Deserves a few more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

Connoisseur's Guide, Oct 2008 - 92 Points, 2 Puffs
This deeply filled and highly extracted youngster impresses from the very first with its lush, fruit-laden aromas, and, with air, lots of sweet oak emerges as the perfect complement. Possessing all of the promised density and concentrated apple-like fruit on the palate, the wine is still tight and fairly firm, and, while very deep and undeniably stuffed, it presently only hints at the richness to come. This is the rare Chardonnay that requires aging, but there is no risk whatsoever that it will not unfold grandly with a few years in the bottle.

2006 Rosemary's Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Wine Enthusiast, 12/31/09 - Top 100 Wines of 2009 - Ranked #61 - 95 Points
Talley's Rosemary's typically is one of the greatest, most dependable Chardonnays in California. The 2006 upholds that distinguished tradition. It's dry and balanced, with a mineral undertone that grounds the flamboyant pineapple custard, lemondrop and lime pie flavors. Feels ultra-distinguished and elegant despite the richness.

WineSpectator.com, 2009 - 91 Points
Delicate and focused, with lemon-citrus, green apple and floral scents that are sleek and minerally. Medium-weight, this makes points for its textural delicacy. Drink now through 2013.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 91 Points

Light, hazy gold. Sharply focused lemon and lime aromas are complicated by talc and quinine. Tightly wound and slow to unfold, eventually offering tangy lemon and orange flavors. A brisk, nervy wine that needs at least a year or two of patience.

California Grapevine - 91 Points
Medium-light to medium golden yellow with a slightly hazy appearance; attractive, intense, spicy, buttery, ripe Asian pear and green apple aroma with hints of honey and hazelnut; full body; big, dense,concentrated, toasty, pear and apple flavors with good acidity and overtones of creamy oak; well balanced and firmly structured. Should continue to develop with another year or two of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate - 90 Points
The 2006 Chardonnay Rosemary's Vineyard exhibits a pronounced nose of orange blossoms, honeyed citrus, white currants, and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied with good acidity and a subtle touch of oak, it will drink well for 2-3 years.

Connoisseur's Guide, Oct 2008 - 1 Puff
Comparatively restrained in nose when set next to its siblings, Talley's Rosemary's Vineyard bottling is a firm, acid-edged wine that is both weighty and tight at the same time. Its brisk balance and citrusy qualities impart an admirable sense of freshness, but it needs to unfold, and it should show a little more richness and range if allowed to develop for another two or three years.

2006 Estate Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90 Points
Light bright red. Sharply focused and red berry and spice aromas are impressively pure and fresh. Taut, finely etched redcurrant and wild strawberry flavors are seamless and clean, with slow-mounting minerality contributing energy. Finishes with gentle sweetness and a jolt of dusty minerals. This will need a bit more time than Edna Valley bottling.

Pinot Report - 90 Points
Deep ruby color; rich aromas of cherry, herbs and cinnamon; complex, rich stewed cherry flavors with spice and sweet oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Deep and spicy, this is a great Pinot for grilled pork tenderloin. SMART BUY.

International Wine Review - 90 Points
Produced from the very low yielding (1.4 tons/acre) Rosemary’s and Rincon vineyards and aged 15 months in 30% new French oak. Medium ruby color. Shows an ample, brambly cherry nose with notes of cedar and minerals. Freshness and purity permeate all aspects of this beautifully crafted Pinot, from the soft, balanced attack to the elegant, polished palate and finishing long, long, long with cola-accented cherry fruit.

Burghound.com, Issue 37 - 89 Points
This is also aromatically very attractive with a mix of red pinot fruit, spice notes and a touch of warm earth that complements to perfection the ripe, rich, delicious and more complex medium full flavors that possess fine depth and length. Like the Edna Valley, there is a trace of warmth and here it's just a bit more noticeable but the extra depth makes this a better overall effort. Lovely and worth a look at the price. Note that if your taste in US pinot runs bit more toward the lush side, choose the Arroyo Valley for a fine value play and if it runs a bit more toward classically structured pinot, choose the Edna Valley.

Connoisseur's Guide, Oct 2008 - 1 Puff
This bottling shows a scant trim of brush and dried herbs to its medium-deep fruit. It is nicely balanced with glimmers of velvet before firming up at the finish, and, while a tasty wine, its slight drift into last-minute dryness suggests that it will be the least long-lived of the five Talley Pinots.

BEVX - 4 Stars
Deep, bright ruby red color. Beautiful cranberry and cherry notes jump from the glass accented by cool notes of earth, dried herbs, and black pepper. The palate confirms the nose simply revealing greater depth and complexity. Wonderfully balanced with an ideal marriage of fruit, spice, and earth. A very pretty wine that offers both style and pleasure.

2006 Pinot Noir, Edna Valley

Connoisseur's Guide, Oct 2008 - 89 pts, 1 Puff
Here is a wine to enjoy while its single-vineyard siblings slowly improve. Sweet and rife with succulent well-ripened cherries in both its outgoing aromas and flavors, it is a rounded and very accessible Pinot that sports just the right touch of pert acid. It takes on a touch of complexity from its appointment of slightly dusty oak spice, and it will pair up nicely over the near to mid-term with juicy pork preparations. Best buy in the market - rounded and outgoing.

International Wine Review - 89 Points
Medium ruby. Stone Corral Vineyard fruit is aged 14 months sur lies in 30% new French oak. Very attractive aromas of pure cherry fruit with toasty oak notes with a beautiful soft, lush attack of vibrant cherry and cola flavors that carry through to the palate, along with notes of earth and spice, finishing long.

Burghound.com, Issue 37 - 89 Points
A positively lovely nose that is both elegant and quite pure offers up ripe notes of red cherry and raspberry plus a gentle and attractive spicy note that precedes the round, delicious, fresh and nicely intense medium-bodied flavors that are balanced and possess good acid support without dryness and culminates in a clean and persistent finish. This is not especially complex, at least not yet but this is really very pretty as it combines a Burgundian style structure with Central Coast fruit and about the only nit is just a hair of finishing warmth but as long as the serving temperature is kept cool, it's hardly noticeable. This doesn't have the depth of the better known wines in the range but the balance and freshness here make this competitive on a different level.

2006 Stone Corral Vineyard Pinot Noir, Edna Valley

Connoisseur's Guide, Oct 2008 - 93 Pts, 2 Puffs
There is a little more muscle and mass to this impressive young wine than the classic Pinot model might predict, but it is filled to the absolute brim with very deep and plentiful ripe cherry fruit and buffers its firm structure with stuffing to spare. Although early service with savory meat dishes will help smooth its way, it is a wine of impressive potential and will not hit its stride until five or more years have passed.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 92 Points
Deep red with a bright rim. Ripe raspberyy and cherry on the nose, with a suave undercurrent of rose and minerals. Vibrant, mineral-drenched red berry flavors show impressive depth but are lithe and precise, with good back-end snap. A rich wine but in no way heavy, with excellent finishing cut and persistence.

Pinot Report - 92 Points
Medium-deep ruby color; earthy aromas with some cherry notes; deep, intense, earthy flavors with cherry notes, some tannin and toasty oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Deep and intense Pinot that needs air to open up. Make room in your cellar.

Wine Spectator Online, James Laube Blog 12/22/08 - 91 Points
Ripe, with generous plum, blackberry and black cherry fruit that's intense, concentrated and full-bodied. Long and persistent on the finish. Drink now through 2014.

Burghound.com, Issue 32 - 90 Points
A notably ripe but pretty and elegant nose of raspberry liqueur, cassis and blueberry fruit notes complements the rich, full, intense and concentrated medium-full flavors that possess excellent depth and plenty of generosity though perhaps with a bit more warmth and less depth than I'm used to seeing with this wine. In sum, 2006 appears to be very good rather than truly outstanding, at least by the usual very high standards of this wine.

San Francisco Chronicle - 2 Stars
Sawdust, blackberry and boysenberry on the subdued nose, which leads to a palate with plenty of oak that wraps around ripe but restrained fruit.

2006 Rincon Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Connoisseur's Guide, Oct 2008 - 95 Pts, 3 Puffs
Just as Talley's Rincon Chardonnay is the bright star of its clan, so too does Rincon Vineyard set the pace among the winery's fine Pinot Noirs. Deep and downright juicy with a wealth of ripe and fully extracted black cherry fruit, the wine is at once both weighty and silky in feel. It is enriched with just the right measure of oaky sweetness, and its very long and very generous finish is unstinting in fruit. There is so much to like now that keeping will come hard, but it has more than enough of the right stuff for improvement and is a sure bet to only get better with age.

Pinot Report - 94 Points
MAKE ROOM IN YOUR CELLAR - Deep ruby color; complex aromas of smoky black cherry and earth; full, deep and complex black cherry and earthy flavors, smoky notes; sweet oak; great structure and balance and a long finish. This a big, deep and forward Pinot with a many layers of flavor. Needs time in the glass and boy does it reward your patience.

Wine Spectator Online, James Laube Blog 12/22/08 - 92 Points
Tight and spicy, with excellent structure and a complex mix of dried berry, black cherry, tobacco and mineral notes that are medium-weight, elegant and stylish, ending with a long, smooth finish. Drink now through 2012.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 92 Points
Saturated red. Sexy, spicy bouquet of raspberry, blackberry, rose and smoky minerals. Racy and sharply focused, with a striking interplay of depth and vivacity, offering sweet red berry and mineral flavors and good mineral grip. A tangy note of blood orange lingers on the long, sappy finish.

California Grapevine - Very Highly Recommended
Meduim Light to Medium ruby; attractive, intense, spicy,slightly herbaceous, strawberry and cherry fruit aroma with notes of clove and vanilla; full body; plush, fleshy, ripe cherry fruit flavors; well balanced and structured; meduim-full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Needs some bottle aging.

Robert M. Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate - 90 Points
The 2006 Rincon Vineyard Pinot Noir reveals a dark ruby hue along with tightly knit aromatics (raspberries, black cherries, earth, and herbs), meduim to full body, excellent ripeness, a layered mouthfeel, and a long finish. It should last for 6-8 years.

International Wine Review - 92 Points
Bright ruby, Lovely fruit forward cherry aromas. Delicious juicy spicy dark cherry fruit flavors in harmony with oak and perfectly balanced with medium acidity, rounded tannins and a long finish. An irresistible and attractive wine that might well be our favorite, but as with children you really shouldn’t show favorites.

Burghound.com, Issue 37 - 90 Points
A notably ripe and densely fruited nose features notes of cassis, raspberry, blueberry and a beguiling spice note that is in perfect keeping with the big, rich, powerful and admirably concentrated broad-shouldered flavors that possess plenty of dry extract and excellent length. This is certainly an impressively scaled wine and those who like power pinot without excess extraction will find much to like here.

2006 Rosemary's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Wine Spectator, March 31, 2009 - 94 Points
Shows fragrant wilted rose and dried berry scents. Medium-bodied, with spice, herb, dried cherry and hints of anise and mineral. Ends with fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2012. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. -J.L.

Wine Spectator Online, James Laube Blog 12/22/08 - 94 Points
Intense and powerful, this is full-blown and deeply flavored. The flavors keep building, centered around ripe cherry, raspberry and wild berry, with mineral and pebble notes that are tightly focused. Drink now through 2015.

Pinot Report, - 96 Points
MAKE ROOM IN YOUR CELLAR -Medium-deep ruby color; complex aromas of spice, earth and black cherry; complex, deep cherry and plum flavors; earthy, some tannin, sweet oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Amazingly well balanced and complex, there is so much to like here. You want this Pinot in your cellar.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 91 Points
Vivid red color. Deeper, brooding cherry and dark berry aromas are complicated by mocha and licorice. Chewy dark fruit flavors stain the palate and are framed by dusty tannins. Smoothes out on the broad, sweet finish, with the dark berry note repeating.

California Grapevine - Very Highly Recommended
Meduim- light to medium ruby; attractive, intense, cedary, black cherry fruit aroma with notes of vanilla; medium-full to full body; forward, firmly structured, herbal, cranberry and cherry fruit flavors; medium-full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Developed with airing in the glass and deserves several more years of bottle aging.

International Wine Review - 91 Points
Medium ruby. Brambly cherry nose with prominent notes of cedar. Fresh and pure. Soft attack and. beautifully balanced presentation of more black than red fruit. Elegant and seamless with good acidity. Lovely, long, long finish of cherry fruit with a touch of cola.

Burghound.com, Issue 32 - 92 Points
This is clearly the best wine in the group with superior aromatic depth and layering of the spicy cassis and raspberry liqueur aromas that complement the rich, dense and sappy flavors brimming with dry extract and as much depth on the long and palate staining finish as there was on the nose. About the only nit here is a touch of backend warmth but otherwise, this is really a lovely effort.

Connoisseur's Guide, Oct 2008 - 1 Puff
Still somewhat backward and a little tight-fisted with regard to its fruity expression, this solid effort is nonetheless appointed with a good dose of varietal cherries that quietly waits in the wings. It gets fairly firm and shows a slight bit of coarseness owing to its undisguised acids, but it will both soften and become a friendlier and more outgoing wine if set aside for a few years.

2007 Estate Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - 90 Points
Vivid yellow-gold. Powerful scents of orange, pear skin, toasty lees and iodine. Much more complex than the Edna Valley bottling today, offering powerful citrus and orchard fruit flavors and complicating notes of lees and minerals. Finishes with strong mineral cut and lingering spiciness.

Wine Enthusiast, July 2009 - 89 Points
Oaky, with butterscotch and smoky caramel-honey flavors standing out over the underlying pineapples, oranges and minerals. Finishes dry and crisp. Drink now.

California Grapefine, June-July 2009 - 88 Points
Medium-light golden yellow; attractive. Floral. Spicy, lemony, greenapple aroma with hints of orange blossom and vanilla; medium-full body; crisp. Lemony, green apple flavors with a touch of pinaplle; well balanced; lingering aftertaste. Highly recommended.

2007 Chardonnay, Edna Valley

Wine Enthusiast, July, 2009 - 92 Points
Crisply dry but very rich, even exotic, in fruit, this Chardonnay is a good value for the money. It’s flamboyant in tropical pineapple jam, pears, vanilla custard and buttered toast, with a stony minerality.

California Grapevine, June-July 2009 - 88 Points
Medium-light golden yellow; attractive; floral, spicy, citrussy, green apple and white peach aroma with a hint of jasmine; medium-full to full body; crisp, lemony, appley, tropical fruit flavors with a modest amount of toast oak; slightly harsh and a slight bit quick on the finish; lingering aftertaste. Highly recommended.

2007 Oliver's Vineyard Chardonnay, Edna Valley

California Grapevine, October-November, 2009 - 90 Points
Medium-light to medium golden yellow; attractive, fragrant, very ripe, toasty, baked apple pie aroma with notes of butterscotch and roasted hazelnut; full body; big, plush, mouth filling, citrussy, ripe, baked apple flavors with firm acidity, lingering aftertaste. Very highly recommended.

Connoisseur's Guide, Jnauary 2010 - 89 Points, 1 Puff
Sweet and wide open and very much biased to ripe apples and pears in both scent and taste, this glycerin-fattened wine is not one for subtlety but delivers lots of unabashed richness. It wants for a slight boost in brightness but does not wander too far to softness, and it promises to show best if drunk within the next couple of years.

2007 Rincon Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Wine Enthusiast, December 31, 2009 - 92 Points
This is an intense, tightly wound chardonnay, with potent flavors and high acidity. It dazzles with flavors of grilled ripe pineapples, green apples, Key lime pie, honey, vanilla and new oak that are flamboyant from entry to spicy finish. Not likely to age before the fruit fades, so drink now and through 2011.

California Grapevine, October-November 2009 - 90 points
Medium-light golden yellow; attractive, earthy, herbal, green apple and lemon pie aromas with notes of toasted hazelnut; full body; forward, rich, plush, toasty, citrus and green apple flavors with crisp acidity; lingering aftertaste. Deserves another year or two of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 2009 - 92 Points
Greenish gold. Intensely perfumed, pungent, exotic scents of pear, Meyer lemon, iodine and smoky lees. Deeply concentrated and lively, offering powerful citrus, melon and mineral flavors, with complicating notes of spicecake and anise. The finish is spicy and strikingly mineral-driven, with a strong echo of iodine.

2007 Rosemary's Vineyard Chardonnay, Arroyo Grande Valley

Wine Enthusiast, December 31, 2009 - 93 Points
Dramatic and unctuous, displaying Rosemary's unusual complexity and intensity. In this fine vintage, the ripe grilled pineapple, peach tart, creme brulee, buttered toast, honeysuckle and mineral flavors are accompanied by fine, crishp acidity that brightens and lifts the richness. Very rich and elegant. Drink now - 2010.

California Grapevine, October-November 2009 - 91 Points
Medium-Light golden yellow color; attractive, intense, spicy, baked apple aroma with notes of vanilla, hazelnut, and lemon zest; full body; big, tight, lemony, firmly structured, green apple flavors; lingering aftertaste. Deserves another year or two of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

Connoisseur's Guide, January 2010 - 92 Points, 2 Puffs
Big, bold and unstinting in both ripeness and oak, this expressuive young chardonnay holds very little in reserve, and it is able to rely on its deep and compelling fruit to keep itself squarely on the varietal track. It is equipped with very fine balance for the big wine that it is, and its finish is filled with both ripe and rich notes and plenty of tightening acid. And, it is sure to get better over time.

The Tasting Panel Magazine - Anthony Dias Blue, Nov. 2009 - 91 Points
Lush and smooth with rich fruit and pure, firm acidity; racy, complex and balanced with excellent length and hints of oak and lovely Burgundian flavors.

2007 Estate Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Stephen Tazner's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 2009 - 90 Points
Dark red. Black raspberry and cherry-cola on the nose. Deeper and smokier than the Edna Valley bottling, with sweet cherry and blackberry flavors and a chewy texture. Finishes on a refreshingly bitter note of cherry skin and with very good persistence.

2007 Pinot Noir, Edna Valley

Stephen Tazner's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 2009 - 90 Points
Deep red with a bright rim. High-pitched aromas of strawberry, raspberry, flowers, white pepper and minerals. Sappy, racy and focused, with sharply delineated flavors of red berries and cherry. Youthfully taut pinot, finishing with very good purity and energy. Shows the vivacity of the vintage.

2007 Stone Corral Vineyard Pinot Noir, Edna Valley

Stephen Tazner's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 2009 - 92 Points
Deep red. Fresh raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by notes of cinnamon and mace, with a suave floral quality gaining strength in the glass. Spicy and focused on the palate, offering sweet red fruit flavors and a strong jolt of peppery spice. Brisk, energetic and pure, with strong finishing lift, cut and persistence.

2007 Rosemary's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley

Stephen Tazner's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 2009 - 92(+) Points
Vivid red. Highly expressive, pure nose of cherry, black raspberry, rose, licorice and smoky herbs. Then big and broad but a bit clenched, with weighty flavors of cassis and blackberry. A serious, slightly tannic wine right now, with strong finishing grip and a fine dusting of tannins. This demands patience.

Talley Vineyards Wine Reviews 2002 through 2007 As of 3/1/2010