Powder House Chardonnay 2024 Aubert

Tasting Note Powder House Chardonnay 2024

First, aromas of white peach and lemon emerge, followed by the chalky, almost powdery notes characteristic of the Goldridge site. Aromas of hazelnut and toasted brioche from oak aging emerge subtly in the background rather than overpowering the fruit. On the palate, the 2024 Powder House Chardonnay reveals a rich, honey-like sweetness, but the acidity, a gift from the cool nights of the Sonoma Coast region, cuts cleanly through the wine's core. It leaves a long, saline finish. It is still young, and its structure is still developing.

Grape Varieties

This wine's varietal composition is simple:

Chardonnay, 100%, single vineyard

What is not simple is the varietal composition of the vines. Powder House is planted to one of the rarest Chardonnay clones cultivated by Aubert, and recent vintages have primarily been based on the Hyde  selection, blended with a small amount of Mount Eden. Hyde produces small, irregularly sized grapes, which concentrate the flavors.

Cellaring Potential

The 2024 Powder House, made for long-term aging, will keep improving well past its first decade. Acidity, not oak, is the driving force behind this wine. It is best enjoyed through 2042. Serve at 10-13°C. Serving it any colder than this will cause the texture to disappear. At this stage, decanting for about 30 minutes is helpful.

About Aubert

In a valley where Cabernet Sauvignon rules, Mark Aubert went the other way. Chardonnay is the reason the winery exists, and most of the fruit comes from Sonoma County rather than Napa, because that is where California's best Chardonnay sites sit. Lauren, planted in 2000 and named after his daughter, covers roughly 3.2 hectares, small enough to walk in an afternoon. Sugar Shack sits in Napa, Larry Hyde and Sons in Carneros, and the Sonoma Coast feeds several bottlings including CIX. Pinot Noir gets the same care, though it stays a small share of production. Style is not shy: clear oak, rich texture, alcohol that can reach 15%. But every vineyard is kept separate and bottled on its own, Burgundy logic applied to California ripeness. Aubert built all this without corporate backing, and demand outruns the tiny volumes.

Terroir & Climate

The soil of Goldridge is characteristic of Powder House. This fine, powdery sandy loam drains quickly and restrains vine growth. When growth is restrained, yields are low and the fruit's flavors become concentrated, this is precisely the characteristic offered by the Sonoma Coast vineyard in this hilly region. The cold Pacific fog drifts inland throughout the summer, slowing the ripening process, which allows Chardonnay to maintain good acidity while flavors develop. The vines here were planted near Forestville in 2015.

Winemaking

At Powder House, minimal intervention is the top priority, and Aubert honestly reflects this philosophy. In other words, the wine is bottled in a slightly cloudy state, without being fully clarified. The less the winemaking process is interfered with, the more the texture comes to life. Under Mark Aubert, harvesting, pressing, and cellar work are carried out according to a set schedule rather than for convenience, because timing, not convenience, governs every step. Oak aging adds toasty and nutty notes, but it does not strip away the fruit's natural character to mask its ripeness.

Food Pairing

With its harmonious balance of full body and acidity, this Chardonnay pairs well with rich foods without being overshadowed by their flavors. Recommended pairings:

• Butter-poached Dungeness crab, a classic pairing for Northern California
• Roast chicken with tarragon cream
• Risotto with wild mushrooms, the nutty oak notes complement the dish perfectly
• Aged Comté or hard sheep's milk cheese

It also pairs well with grilled halibut, especially when served with brown butter.