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B-21 Top Recommendation
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A well-guarded secret of savvy California collectors, Morlet Family Vineyards produces small quantities of exceptional, vineyard-driven wines that until now have been exclusively available to their mailing list and the world's top restaurants, offering a rare opportunity to acquire these highly-rated Morlet selections from top vintages at best on the market pricing.
Born in Epernay, talented winemaker Luc Morlet's roots stretch back five generations at his family's estate in the Champagne region, mentored by legendary wine consultant Jacques Boissenot after attending viticultural school in France before moving to the US over two decades ago and working with top Napa winemakers like John Kongsgaard at Newton Vineyard. Described by Jeb Dunnuck as producing wines with "terrific richness and depth while remaining weightless and elegant," Luc served as winemaker for some of the region's most elite estates including Newton, Peter Michael and Staglin, crafting some of their top scoring wines before establishing his own label in 2006 with his California-born wife Jodie. Highlighting "the more sumptuous, extroverted side of top vineyard sites in both Napa Valley and Sonoma" according to Vinous critic Antonio Galloni, Luc sources his grapes from the region's most iconic vineyards like To Kalon for Cab and Ritchie for Chard in addition to establishing his own estate vineyards near Morlet's St. Helena winery. Starting off with his elegant Bordeaux-styled white, the lush and aromatic 99 pt. 2019 Morlet Family Vineyards La Proportion Doree is a blend of mostly Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon with a little Muscadelle, boasting a "lively backbone and epic length" according to the Wine Independent's Lisa Perrotti-Brown. Jeb Dunnuck calls the 97 pt. 2019 Morlet Family Vineyards Chardonnay Ma Princesse from Russian River's Ritchie Vineyard "terrific" and poised to "deliver the goods through 2033," while he describes the 100 pt. 2019 Morlet Family Vineyards Chardonnay Coup de Coeur as an "uber barrel-selection blend" of Morlet's Chardonnay vineyards that "does everything right," balancing full-bodied richness and enticing minerality with "one heck of a long finish." The 98 pt. 2018 Morlet Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Coteaux Nobles features "a plush texture and bags of freshness," according to Lisa Perrotti-Brown, while the 96 pt. 2018 Morlet Family Vineyards Pinot Noir En Famille boasts luscious fresh and energetic fruit, labeled "a Pinot of real distinction" by Vinous critic Antonio Galloni. From two top vintages in the Fort Ross Seaview AVA, both scoring 98 pts., the fresh-fruited 2018 and 2019 Morlet Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Joli Coeur offer rich, vibrant berry flavors with smooth tannins and tantalizing minerality, summed up as "super appealing" by critic Galloni and built to enjoy over the next decade. And finally Luc's stunning Cabernet Sauvignons from the exceptional 2016 vintage – the 98 pt. 2016 Morlet Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Coeur de Vallee, his To Kalon release that's "a thrill a minute" according to Jeb Dunnuck and "as seamless and elegant as they come" – the 96 pt. 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier from Morlet's Knights Valley vineyard that's "already terrific yet will keep for 20-25 years or more" according to Dunnuck – and the "fabulous" 97 pt. 2016 Morlet Cabernet Sauvignon Estate possessing "tremendous class and pedigree to burn" according to critic Antonio Galloni, composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaux cuttings planted in Morlet's St. Helena vineyard.
An array of stunning, elegant wines balancing richly textured fruit with powerfully structured depth, these stellar Morlet selections rank "at the top end of the qualitative hierarchy" from "one of northern California's most talented wine producers" according to Robert Parker Jr., all cellar worthy additions to any collection and a rare opportunity to acquire and enjoy Morlet's beautifully crafted wines at an outstanding value. |
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The 2021 Chardonnay Ma Princesse comes from the Ritchie Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, which is planted to the old Wente clone of Chardonnay and produces small clusters with tiny little berries. In the glass, the wine reveals notes of preserved citrus, wet stone, wildflowers, vanilla bean spice, and fresh pear. Medium to full-bodied, it’s more linear in feel, with more citrus on the palate, although it retains beautiful, fresh, floral notes through its long finish. It carries fantastic tension, concentration, and elegance, with persistent energy driving the wine. It’s phenomenal and is only going to improve with another few years in the cellar. Drink 2024-2036.
99 points, Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck (Jun 2024)
Sourced from the justly famed Ritchie Vineyard, Morlet's 2021 Chardonnay Ma Princesse features a big, wonderfully expressive nose bursting with scents of ripe melon, pear and pineapple. It's full-bodied and opulent, ripe and weighty, but it marries that to amazing drive and energy on the long, harmonious finish.
97 points, Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (Oct 2024)
The 2021 Chardonnay Ma Princesse comes entirely from Old Wente clone in the Ritchie Vineyard, planted with 50-year+ vines on Goldridge and Volcanic soils. It comes bounding out with notes of pie crust, allspice, and candied lemon leading to a core of apricots, praline, and lime blossom. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully silky, with a well-knit racy line cutting through the intense citrus and spicy layers, finishing with a minerally lift.
97 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent (Feb 2024)
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