Aubert Wine at Flickinger Wines

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USA Red

Aubert

2012

CIX Pinot Noir

$109

VM 93+ (2/2014): Aubert's 2012 Pinot Noir CIX Vineyard comes across as subtle and understated in this context. A wine of silkiness and texture, the 2012 is laced with expressive dark red fruit and gorgeous inner sweetness. The flavors are dark, racy and impeccably balanced. This parcel is planted with a Vosne-Romanee suitcase clone, which seems to give the wine a lot of distinctive aromatics.

WA 89-91 (12/2013): The 2012 Pinot Noir Cix Estate was made from suitcase clones from Vosne-Romanee. It exhibits abundant notes of forest floor, blackberries, blueberries and spicy oak along with dry tannins in the finish. The wine is multi-dimensional and rich, but the tannins are not yet fully resolved which kept my score low. It should drink well for 8-12 years.

2014

CIX Pinot Noir

$139

WA 96 (12/2015): Made entirely from a clone from the most famous vineyard in Burgundy, the 2014 Cix offers crisp acid, loads of black raspberry, forest floor and blueberry fruit, and tremendous density, richness, and intensity. (It’s interesting to note that these 2014s are all in bottle while the Chardonnays are still in tank awaiting bottling.) This is a wine with great fruit, terrific acids and a long finish. It should evolve for 10 or more years.

2023

Park Avenue Pinot Noir

$140

VM 95 (12/2024): The 2023 Pinot Noir Park Avenue Estate is a new wine in this range. It emerges from a parcel in Sebastopol planted with Calera cuttings from UV. Black cherry, leather, incense and graphite open first, followed by lifted floral and savory notes that add character. The Park Avenue doesn't have the layers of the other Pinots, but it comes very close. This is a seriously impressive debut. Antonio Galloni.

2005

Reuling Vyd. Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

$150

WA 95 (12/2007): The 2005 Pinot Noir Reuling Vineyard reminds me of a top DRC Richebourg. Of course, this is made from the famed Calera clone of Pinot Noir, which was suitcased in from one of the most renowned vineyards in Burgundy. The wine exhibits that beautiful sweet black currant, flowery nose, with sweet black raspberry and very ripe cherry notes intermixed with spring flowers and some spice from the wood. A wine of considerable opulence, complexity, and tremendously savory, expansive texture, this wine should drink beautifully for at least a decade. Mark Aubert is on the move, leaving Colgin Winery in favor of working for the Bryant Family Vineyard, while at the same time producing some of the world’s greatest Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. He seems to have a plate filled with both potential and stress. The bad news is that one of his suppliers decided his Chardonnays were just too profound for the Quarry Vineyard, and will no longer sell him fruit from that source, and in 2006, there was so little Reuling available, that cuvee was not made either. In short, there are two fewer Chardonnays for the 2006 vintage! Nevertheless, those who got on the mailing list and secured some of his 2005 Chardonnays have some of the finest Chardonnays ever made in California at their beck and call. Of course, these are made from old Wente clones of Chardonnay, given full malolactic, aged on their lees, and bottled with no clarification.

VM 93+ (6/2007): (from a Calera clone) Deep ruby-red. Deeply pitched aromas of blackberry, smoked meat and underbrush. Dense and thick but with lovely energy to its complex, deep, soil-inflected flavors of dark fruits, smoked meat and black tea. This is about much more than just fruit. Finishes with substantial but essentially gentle tannins. Interestingly, the Vosne-Romanee clones used for the UV have produced an essence of California pinot in '05, while these Calera clones have yielded a wine in a more Burgundian style.

2012

Ritchie Vyd. Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

$99

2013

Ritchie Vyd. Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

$109

VM 95 (1/2015): The pedigree of site comes through loud and clear in Aubert's 2013 Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard, a wine that stands out for its combination of intense fruit and pulsating acidity. Lavender, plums, mint, pine and wild flowers blossom in a dark, extroverted wine that captures the personality of the Calera clone. The 2013 retains striking freshness for such a big wine. I imagine it will be fascinating to follow for the next decade or so, perhaps longer. Antonio Galloni.

WA 94 (12/2014): The full-bodied, dense ruby-hued 2013 Pinot Noir Ritchie, which comes from the Calera clone of Pinot Noir, reveals plenty of beet root, forest floor, Asian hoisin sauce, plum, blackcurrant and cherry notes, as well as terrific fruit and richness. Drink 2016-2028.

2014

Ritchie Vyd. Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

$109

VM 94 (2/2016): The 2014 Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard is bright, focused and nuanced throughout, with plenty of supporting acidity to balance the intensity of the fruit. Sweet dark cherry, lavender and cloves are all pushed forward. This is an especially linear, energetic Ritchie Pinot with everything in the right place. The Ritchie is also the most structured of these Pinots, although there is plenty of the richness that Mark Aubert coaxes from his vineyard sites. Antonio Galloni.

2023

Russian River Pinot Noir

$125

2014

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

$99

2020

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

$95

2005

UV Vyd. Pinot Noir

$100

WA 95 (12/2007): The 2005 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard, another wine made from the Calera clone of Pinot Noir, and named after the superb viticultural manager Ulises Valdez, has a deep ruby/purple-tinged color and an exceptional nose of sweet raspberry, pomegranate, and currants intermixed with some spring flowers, underbrush, and forest floor notes. The wine has dazzling stuffing, expansive texture, sensational purity, and well-integrated acidity and tannin. It is a stunningly complex, grand cru Pinot Noir that should drink nicely for 10-15 or more years. Mark Aubert is on the move, leaving Colgin Winery in favor of working for the Bryant Family Vineyard, while at the same time producing some of the world’s greatest Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. He seems to have a plate filled with both potential and stress. The bad news is that one of his suppliers decided his Chardonnays were just too profound for the Quarry Vineyard, and will no longer sell him fruit from that source, and in 2006, there was so little Reuling available, that cuvee was not made either. In short, there are two fewer Chardonnays for the 2006 vintage! Nevertheless, those who got on the mailing list and secured some of his 2005 Chardonnays have some of the finest Chardonnays ever made in California at their beck and call. Of course, these are made from old Wente clones of Chardonnay, given full malolactic, aged on their lees, and bottled with no clarification.

VM 94 (6/2007): Good deep red-ruby. Knockout nose combines crushed blackberry, black raspberry, licorice and violet. Sappy, densely packed and powerful, with hugely rich, near-confectionery flavors of black fruits, wild strawberry and chocolate. There are complicating soil tones here but this is essentially a wonderfully sweet, creamy California fruit bomb of a pinot. Finishes with superb purity of fruit, fine sweet tannins, and firm balancing acidity.

2012

UV Vyd. Pinot Noir

$119

VM 94 (2/2014): A classic expression of the Russian River emerges from the 2012 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard. Sweet black cherries, hard candy, cloves, mint and spices meld together in a rich, sumptuous Pinot endowed with plenty of distinction. The flavors are dark, bold and juicy to the core. The 2012 will appeal most to readers who enjoy the exuberance of Russian River Pinots.

WA 92-94 (12/2013): An exceptional perfume of rose petals, loamy soil, raspberries, blueberries and spring flowers jumps from the glass of the 2012 Pinot Noir UV-SL. Primarily Calera clonal material with some Vosne-Romanee suitcase clones, it was fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged 12 months prior to being assembled in tank and then bottled without fining or filtration. This beauty should age effortlessly for 10-12 years.

2013

UV Vyd. Pinot Noir

$149

WA 96 (12/2014): The rich, prodigious, full-bodied 2013 Pinot Noir UV, made from the Calera and Vosne-Romanee clones, is a denser, richer wine offering abundant notes of blueberries, blackberries, forest floor and strong hints of Asian hoisin sauce, dark fruits and forest floor. There are approximately 1,000 cases of this sensational Pinot, which Mark Aubert decanted 12 hours in advance of my visit. There is not a trace of new oak in this wine, which spent 10 months in 100% new barrels. Like all the 2013 Pinot Noirs, it has a decade or more of aging potential.

VM 94 (1/2015): The 2013 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is a wine of immediacy in that it shows most of what it has to offer right away. Layers of intense fruit seem to cut through a wall of tannin as this dark, virile Pinot shows off its considerable personality. Dark red cherries, plums, violets and lavender are some of the notes that wrap around the powerful, enveloping finish. These red, clay-rich soils yield Pinot Noirs with distinct exuberance. Antonio Galloni.

2014

UV Vyd. Pinot Noir

$119

WA 94 (12/2015): As for the 2014 Pinot Noir UV, this wine comes two-thirds from the Calera clone of Pinot Noir and the rest from a Vosne-Romanee clone (which we all know, but no one’s saying, probably emanated from the famous Domaine de la Romanee Conti estate). Lots of soft strawberry, sweet cherry and blueberry notes emerge from this wine, giving it a Côte de Nuits-like character. Slightly lighter than the Ritchie, feminine, fragrant, and beautifully round and juicy, this wine should drink well young and last ten or more years.

VM 92 (2/2016): The 2014 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard has a lovely immediacy, but it also comes across as ample and at times a bit heavy. Then again, this site is rich in clay, which tends to confer breadth. Dark red cherry, plum, leather, mint and spices meld into the powerful, resonant finish. This supple, engaging Pinot will drink well pretty much right out of the gate. UV is planted with a mix of Calera and Vosne-Romanee clones. Antonio Galloni.

2016

UV Vyd. Pinot Noir

$125

VM 94 (4/2018): Aubert's 2016 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is fresh, fragrant and inviting. Sweet red cherry, mint, rose petal and lavender notes are nicely lifted in this attractive, mid-weight Pinot. Silky, sensual and nuanced, the 2016 has a lot to recommend it. A dollop of whole clusters introduces a lovely savory element to the UV. ANtonio Galloni.

2017

UV Vyd. Pinot Noir

$129

VM 96 (12/2018): Aubert's 2017 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is pliant, open-knit and super-expressive. Sweet tobacco, cedar, mint, earthiness, dried flowers and cherry fruit are all laced together in this very pretty, nuanced Pinot. Despite its recent bottling, the 2017 UV is bright, lifted and super-expressive. The blend of Calera and Vosne-Romanee clones works beautifully. Antonio Galloni.

2023

UV Vyd. Pinot Noir

$140

VM 96 (12/2024): The 2023 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is dense, heady and explosive. The purity of the fruit is just superb. Bright red/purplish fruit, rose petal, lavender, spice and blood orange all soar from the glass. A wine of depth and textural intensity, the 2023 is just magnificent. So aromatic. Bright acids pull it all together on the finish. The UV is the most delicate and refined of the Pinots from Aubert this year. Antonio Galloni.

2006

UV-SL Vyd. Pinot Noir

$95

2012

UV-SL Vyd. Pinot Noir

$119

VM 95 (2/2014): The 2012 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most complete of these Pinots. It is also by far the most intense. Dark red cherry, plum, spice and menthol notes all take shape in the glass. The style is broad, ample and super-ripe. Amazingly, with time in the glass, the wine comes together very nicely, but it really does need a lot of time. A juicy, boisterous finish rounds things out. The UV-SL is the Pinot that most clearly defines Mark Aubert's deeply personal approach to Pinot Noir.

2013

UV-SL Vyd. Pinot Noir

$135

VM 96 (1/2015): The 2013 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most opulent and extroverted of these Pinots, but it is also the most compelling. Endowed with huge fruit, and an explosive mid-palate, the UV-SL captures the very best of this style of Pinot. Layers of dark, inky fruit built to a crescendo of intensity and juiciness. Hints of lavender, spices and violets wrap around the finish, with plenty of support from beams of underlying tannin. Antonio Galloni.

WA 94+ (12/2014): The 2013 Pinot Noir UV-SL, primarily made from Calera and Vosne-Romanee clonal material, boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of blackcurrants, black cherries, forest floor and beet root. The complex aromatics are followed by a full-bodied, intensely concentrated, pure, seamlessly constructed red that should drink well for 10-15+ years.

2014

UV-SL Vyd. Pinot Noir

$159

WA 98 (12/2015): The 2014 Pinot Noir UV-SL is made from both the Vosne-Romanee and Calera clones of Pinot Noir. This is pure Sonoma Coast Pinot, with a sweet nose of root beer, blackcurrants, black cherries, and forest floor. It is the most densely colored of all four Pinot Noirs, and shows the biggest body, structure and richness. I also think it’s the most concentrated. This is an amazing wine and may have been the best 2014 Pinot Noir I tasted on this last trip. It should drink well for 10-15+ years.

VM 94 (2/2016): The 2014 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most complete of the Pinots. Exquisite, subtle and nuanced, the UV-SL has a level of translucent and crystalline purity that separates it from the other Pinots. Scents of graphite, licorice, cherry jam, lavender and rose petal leave a lasting impression in a wine that deftly balanced aromatic intensity, pliant fruit and structure.

2015

UV-SL Vyd. Pinot Noir

$125

VM 93 (3/2017): The 2015 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the darkest and most concentrated of these Pinots. Super-ripe black cherry, plum and lavender are pushed forward. Big, ample and large-scaled in all of its dimensions, the UV-SL will appeal most to readers who appreciate big Pinots. I find a bit more complexity in the UV and CIX, but at this level, it really comes down to personal taste. The clones are Calera and Vosne-Romanee. Antonio Galloni.

2016

UV-SL Vyd. Pinot Noir

$120

VM 93 (4/2018): A powerful, rich wine endowed with tremendous drive, the Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most overt, flamboyant wine in the range. A rush of black cherry, game, blood orange and spice fills out the wine's ample frame effortlessly. The UV-SL is the darkest and most obviously ripe of the vineyard designated Pinots. There is plenty of personality, that much is evident. Antonio Galloni.

2017

UV-SL Vyd. Pinot Noir

$115

VM 94+ (12/2018): The 2017 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard is the most backward and tannic of the three Aubert Pinots. Dried herbs, cedar, tobacco and menthol add striking aromatic nuance, but today it is the wine's tannin profile that makes the strongest impression. This hillside site above Occidental yields Pinots of real distinction. I imagine the UV-SL will be the slowest of these wines to reveal itself, but it has plenty to say. Lavender, rose petals, blood orange and spices add an exotic flair to this embryonic Pinot. Antonio Galloni.

USA White

Aubert

2023

Eastside Chardonnay

$135

VM 95 (11/2025): The 2023 Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard comes across as a bit reticent today. Medium in body and very aromatic, the 2023 is still coming out of its shell. Apricot, honey, dried white flowers, marzipan, crushed rocks and hazelnut emerge with a bit of coaxing. Time in the glass softens the contours nicely. (Drink between 2026-2035). Antonio Galloni.

2009

Lauren Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

$159

WA 95 (2/2012): The 2009 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is one of the more understated wines in this lineup. It also shows a bit more freshness and brightness than the other 2009s. Tangerine, mint, light floral honey and spices are all beautifully layered into the detailed, nuanced finish. The French oak is better balanced here than in the Reuling, which allows the fruit to show the fullest breadth of its personality. Here, too, the finish seems to expand in every direction. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017.

2022

Park Avenue Chardonnay

$149

WA 96 (7/2024): From a densely planted (2,044 vines per acre with spacing of 3.5 feet x six feet) property adjacent to the Lauren site, Aubert's 2022 Chardonnay Park Avenue offers up gentle notes of toasted hazelnut, brioche and almond, plus lime, pear and melon. It's full-bodied, with waves of upfront fruit and generous on the mid-palate, then crisp and focused on the lingering finish.

VM 94 (1/2024): The 2022 Chardonnay Park Avenue is laced with hints of orange confit, passion fruit and jasmine. This is one of the more exotic Chardonnays in the range, especially aromatically. The 2022 is a bit less generous on the palate, but that should come with time. (Drink between 2025-2032). Antonio Galloni.