Paumanok Chardonnay North Fork of Long Island Grand Vintage 2004

Ripe on the nose with pineapple and mandarin orange aromas accented by toasted coconut. Expertly balanced with medium body and a creamy-yet-fresh mouthfeel, the intense flavors closely match the nose with a elongated, elegant finish. Outstanding, and as a 2004 still pretty young. I expect this one to develop and improve over the next few years.

December 2008

Fermented in new French oak barrels, Paumanok 2004 Grand Vintage Chardonnay ($30) actually has me questioning my own chardonnay preferences. In fact, it may be the best chardonnay I've tasted from the North Fork in years. There are winemakers in Burgundy who wish they could make a wine like this. Winemaker Charles Massoud only makes Grand Vintage bottlings in the best years from the best fruit, and this is only the third GV chardonnay in Paumanok's history (1995 and 2000 were the others). The nose is rich and ripe with pineapple and mandarin orange aromas accented by toasted coconut. read more...Expertly balanced with medium body and a creamy-yet-fresh mouthfeel, the intense flavors closely match the nose with an elongated, elegant finish. Outstanding, and as a 2004 still pretty young. I expect this one to develop and improve over the next few years. It's important to remember...we shouldn't blame the tools (oak barrels), but the artisans (winemakers). When used judiciously, oak influence leads to wines like this one.    (hide)

Rating: 85/100 - As reviewed by Wine Spectator on 05/31/06

Rating: 86/100 - As reviewed in Wine Advocate # 165 on Jun-06