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: 2012 Walter Hansel "North Slope" Russian River Valley Chardonnay

2012 Walter Hansel "North Slope" Russian River Valley Chardonnay

SKU #1210421 95 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark Slightly better is the 2012 Chardonnay North Slope, which comes from California clones 95 and 76. Made from much smaller yields than the Cahill Lane, it sees about 40% new French oak, and reveals terrific fruit intensity along with a full-bodied mouthfeel, a good underlying wet gravel-like character, and loads of peach, pineapple and honeysuckle notes. The wine exhibits a light green hue to its color (which I always consider a positive). It can be drunk over the next 5-7 years. Inner quote mark (12/2013)

92 points Int'l Wine Cellar

Outer quote mark Pale gold. Intense aromas of nectarine, pineapple and orange zest, with suave floral and ginger topnotes. Juicy and expansive in the mouth, with vibrant acidity giving lift to ripe pit and orchard fruit flavors. Shows plenty of power but comes off lithe, with very good focus. Spicy notes linger on a sappy, floral-driven finish of excellent clarity and verve. Inner quote mark (5/2014)

91 points Vinous

Outer quote mark Honey, almonds, smoke, butter and a host of tropical-inflected notes emerge from the 2012 Chardonnay North Slope. Hints of graphite and petrol serve to balance some of the wine's more overt flavors and textures. This North Slope is a classic Hansel Chardonnay built on depth and texture, but there is plenty of minerality to support the fruit. Stephen Hansel is one of the most intelligent winery owners in Sonoma. More interested in getting people to drink his wines than in maximizing short-term profit, Hansel continues to offer some of the very best wines readers will find for the money...The Hansel wines capture the essence of the Russian River in their exuberant, forward personalities. In my view, the Chardonnays are reference points for what Wente clone Chardonnay is all about. The Chardonnays see some lees stirring and spend about ten months in oak. The Pinots see a five day cold-soak and are vinified, fully destemmed, in open-top wood fermenters, after which they are aged in French oak, about 60% new. After the large crop of 2012, Hansel dropped a significant amount of fruit in 2013, roughly 60% of the Pinot crop and 30% of the Chardonnay crop. Quality is high across the board and pricing remains incredibly consumer friendly throughout the range, making these some of the most delicious and compelling Sonoma wines readers will come across. Stephen Hansel also runs a number of successful car franchises in the area and clearly has a knack for putting the consumer first. Inner quote mark (1/2015)

2012 Walter Hansel "North Slope" Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Price: $34.99

Quantity:

RP: 95

ST: 92

VN: 91

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Product Reviews:

By: Gary Norton | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 7/11/2015 | Send Email

Lemon zest, white peach and passion fruit are front and center within this Russian River gem. At $34.99, this single vineyard offering is an absolute bargain. The ’12 Walter Hansel ‘North Slope’ Chardonnay is clean, structured and finishes with an herbaceous kick. Tremendous value here.

By: Bryan Brick | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 7/10/2015 | Send Email

Consistency is the word I think of when I think of the Walter Hansel wines. Not only have the prices remained consistent over the last decade, which is no small feat in itself, but the wines are always in a fuller, plush style full of fruit and feel, ready to be drunk and to appeal to the masses. The 2012 North Slope Chardonnay is all brioche and toast on the nose with fun notes of grilled corn on the cob and dried apricot all wrapped in a subtle cloud of clove spice. Lemon curd brightens up richer flavors of apricot, popcorn, grilled peaches and an overall feel of yeastiness. Creamy with bright edges, fully ripe but not sweet, oak-laden but far from woodsy this walks the tightrope with confidence and pizzazz.

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Chardonnay

- It's hard to believe that up until about 30 years ago, this extremely popular varietal hid behind the veil of geographical names like Chablis and Puligny-Montrachet. Now grown all over the world and bottled by its varietal name, Chardonnay has achieved a level of branding unlike any other wine. Surprisingly, though, what you get when you buy Chardonnay can differ greatly from country to country and even within one country, depending on the climate where it's grown and how it is vinified and aged. From fresh, crisp and minerally with apple and lemon notes to rich and buttery with tropical fruit overtones, Chardonnay runs the gamut. In France's Burgundy, Chardonnay is the source of the prized wines of Chablis, Corton-Charlemagne, Mâcon, Meursault and Montrachet. It also the foundation of exceptional Champagne, where it is blended with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier or vinified on its own into Blanc de Blancs. It is also extremely popular in California, and is gaining popularity in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Spain and South Africa.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Alexander Valley/Russian River

- Among Sonoma County's northernmost appellations, the Alexander Valley AVA acts as a gateway to neighboring Napa to the east and Mendocino to the north. It is a sprawling appellation, with pockets of distinct microclimates and soils, and as such, is home to a variety of wine grapes and styles. Nearly everything grows in the Alexander Valley, though Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are the most widely planted grapes. The Russian River Valley lies to the south of Alexander Valley, and is marked by much cooler temperatures and frequently heavy fog. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown here are some of the state's finest and most sought-after. Aromatic whites like Gewürztraminer and Riesling can also be successful, and sparkling wine production has a long history in the area.

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