93 points, Wine Spectator (#65 Top 100 Wines of 2011)
Pure, ripe and richly flavored, with tiers of nectarine, fig, honeysuckle and smoky oak. Full-bodied, with touches of citrus blossom and lemon peel. Drink now through 2017. 6,000 cases made.
90 points, Wine Advocate
The lighter-style 2009 Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch does not have the intensity of the 2008, but those who enjoy more European-styled Chardonnays will adore it. This mid-weight white exhibits notes of lemon butter, tropical fruits and poached pears in a fresh, lively, crisp style. It should be bottled soon and released early in 2011.
The Red Shoulder Ranch vineyard in the Carneros region offers a long, consistently cool growing season, which is ideal for retaining acidity in Chardonnay fruit. To focus on varietal flavors, Shafer uses only wild yeast for fermentation and does not put the wine through malolactic fermentation.
