Walter Hansel Winery Chardonnay Russian River Valley Cahill Lane 2005

Bright gold. Ripe, powerful pear, peach and nectarine aromas are given depth by suggestion of vanilla and mace. Gentle acidity lends shape and verve to the rich orchard fruit and melon flavors. The very persistent finish offers sexy notes of oak spice and candied orange peel.

The impressive 2002 Chardonnay Cahill Lane is one of the finest Chardonnays I tasted during my trip. A big, sweet nose of nectarines, pineapple, lemon butter, and flowers jumps from the glass of this hugely textured effort. With a Batard-Montrachet-like buttery-ness and opulence, this wine recalls some of the finest offerings from Michel Niellon. I suspect it will drink well for 4-5 years... but why wait! Drink 2005-2010.

The spectacular 2001 Chardonnay Cahill Lane (750 cases) boasts knock-out aromas of citrus oils, white flowers, lemon butter, orange marmalade, and pineapple along with excellent texture, medium to full body, good underlying acidity, and a mouth-coating, refreshing, as well as impressively deep style. It should drink well for several years.

The 2003 Chardonnay Cahill Lane exhibits crisp acidity along with orange rind, lemon oil, and buttered hazelnut characteristics reminiscent of a premier cru Meursault. With marvelous acidity, precision, and a long finish, it should drink well for 3-4 years.

Similarly styled to the Estate with wonderful intensity, but tighter, more elegant as well as full-bodied, the 2005 Chardonnay Cahill Lane offers up hints of honeysuckle, pears, white peaches, currants, minerals, and toasty oak in the background. It will provide impressive drinking over the next 5-7 years. Kudos to Stephen Hansel for keeping prices so realistic.

The 2005 Chardonnay Cahill Lane Vineyard is a wine of impressive intensity. Notes of white peach, sweet corn, a touch of subtle oak, and some buttered citrus and orange blossom are all present in this complex Chardonnay, which is full-bodied, rich, and has the zesty acidity that all the 2005s seem to possess.

One of the two final cuvees to be released from the 2006 Chardonnays is the Cahill Lane, which displays hazelnut, honeysuckle, some buttered brioche and creme caramel notes, good fruit, richness, and depth, but given its quickly evolving style, it needs to be drunk over the next 1-2 years. This is a source for very fine Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs at some of the most realistic prices to be found in Northern California.