2018 Morlet Family Vineyards Chardonnay 'Ma Douce' Fort Ross-Seaview Sonoma Coast 750 ml

The 2018 Morlet Family Vineyards Chardonnay Ma Douce is as good as California Chardonnay gets, and that is not just our opinion. Jeb Dunnuck rated it 99 points, calling it “riveting,” and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave it 97, putting it alongside California’s biggest cult Chardonnay names—not to mention Domaine des Comtes Lafon’s 2018 Montrachet Grand Cru, which will cost you $2900.

Born into a winemaking family that goes back five generations in Champagne, Luc Morlet was stirring barrel-fermented Chardonnay when he was just a schoolboy. During his graduate studies, he interned at the prestigious Chanson Père et Fils in Beaune, and upon graduation he was mentored by Jacques Boissenot.   

Love for his American sweetheart brought him to California, where he quickly reached the top rung of the Chardonnay ladder, replacing John Kongsgaard at Newton. Later, as the winemaker for Peter Michael, he continued Helen Turley’s legacy and racked up over 30 wines rated 94–99 points from The Wine Advocate in just five years. Then, 15 years ago, he turned his focus to Morlet Family Vineyards. His namesake winery now boasts more than 30 Advocate ratings of 98 points and higher.

Ma Douce comes from the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA in what’s known as the “True” Sonoma Coast. Sitting hillside on the second ridge in from the Pacific, the plot enjoys a mild and sunny mountain climate and cool maritime breezes, which imbue the wine with the sacred balance of ripeness and verve that defines world-class Chardonnay, no matter where it’s grown. The result is one of the most rewarding and fascinating examples of Chardonnay you could hope to experience.