Product Overview
97 Points - Wine Advocate
"The 2020 Lion's Tooth Chardonnay is a totally different proposition to the Field of Fire Chardonnay from the same vintage. The wine is retained and placid on the nose ... the latent power of the thing is evident from the very first sniff. It is saturated with the curry leaf/cheesecloth/brine/preserved citrus notes that I associate with this producer, but the long throw of distance that the aromatics propose hint at great things. In the mouth, the wine speaks of crushed/salted/roasted nuts, red apple skins, peach fuzz and a hint of the little calcium deposits/flecks that one can find in Comté/Pradera cheese. That's why I eat those cheeses, and that's what I see here. What an exciting wine. Pure in its fruit profile, powerful in its acid/phenolic interplay, and so long through the finish. Yes! This is why we drink Chardonnay. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap." -EL, 12/14/23
96 Points, "Editors' Choice" - Wine Enthusiast
"Layers of appealing aromas like white florals, green tea, nectarine and lemon peel have a chalky backbone. Wonderfully racy, crystalline acidity adds a snap crackle pop element that brightens the lemony fruit. A stony minerality and pithy texture ground it. Long, linear and complex, this is a joyful drop now but should age beautifully for well over a decade." -CP, 10/1/24
96 Points - Vinous
"The 2020 Lion's Tooth is a Chardonnay you have to spend time getting to know. It is quieter than its stablemate, Field of Fire, but it creeps up on you and shows its colors if you are patient. The limestone-based vineyard is a slightly warmer site than Field of Fire – facing due east rather than southeast. It exudes a sense of calmness and roundness, followed by a natural flush of acidity that gradually builds, allowing the wine to draw out far beyond expectations. The finish is long and scented, offering up oatmeal, nutmeg and ripe lemon zest as it persists. I'd suggest giving it another 18 months in bottle to shake off its youthful untamed vigor." -RG, Jan/2023
