2006 Neely "Holly's Cuvee" Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

94 points from Robert Parker: "A joint venture between the Varner and Neely families in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the 2006 Chardonnay Holly's Cuvee, which is a blend of blocks of Chardonnay from the Varner's Spring Ridge Vineyard, is a limited cuvee with undeniable minerality, lots of lemon oil, and honeyed citrus in a medium to full-bodied wine, with terrific fruit purity and expression. Drink it over the next 3-4 years." (12/08) Rare is it that our staff gets fired up about a Chardonnay, rarer that that Chard comes from outside the confines of Burgundy. But one California producer seems to have the magic touch. The Varner brothers, Bob and Jim, seem to have figured out how to make exceptional wines from our staff's most snarked about grape. In this case it is under the Neely label, which they make in collaboration with the Neely family, one of the Varner's major investors. This Chardonnay is a blend of all three of the blocks - Bee, Home and Amphitheatre - from the Spring Ridge Vineyard, which acts as their estate vineyard. Chalk, cherry blossom, toasted walnuts and brioche combine flawlessly on the expressive and pleasing nose. Add to that the snappy key lime fruit on the entry, the vibrant tangerine-esque acidity throughout, and a drying earthiness in the finish and you have a Chard that is so far ahead of it competitors it makes them look like Single-A kids playing in the Major Leagues. (Bryan Brick, K&L)