Wine Spectator:  Rated as "Outstanding - a wine of superior character and style".

"Fresh and vibrant, with lively acidity and snappy pear, apple and citrus shadings. Still a touch crisp and flinty in a good way, this is full-bodied and ends with a long, clean finish. Drink now through 2013".  Wine Spectator, June, 2009

The Wine Curmudgeon:  "I got to taste the Freestone Ovation (about $60) last week, and was pleasantly surprised given my skepticism for high-end California chardonnay and its 14 percent alcohol level. But the Ovation, part of the Joseph Phelps empire, had almost Chablis-style acid and the apple fruit was quite restrained for Sonoma. It will age well, getting richer and more interesting."

pbPulse:  I loved the 2006 Freestone “Ovation” Chardonnay ($60). It was one of the best Chardonnays I’ve ever had and their judicious use of oak kept it light and centered on the grape rather than the oak. It was great.

Winery: "This wine has a concentrated core of lemon, fig and cream, with natural acidity and minerality that give it great strength and persistence. This wine was produced by 100% native fermentation with a focus on working the lees in barrel in order to elevate and enhance the mid-palate. The result is a naturally made wine that is unfined, unfiltered and an expression of the region’s characteristic minerality and spice."

Wired For Wine: Freestone Vineyards was founded in 1999 when the Joseph Phelps family and management team broke ground on more than 100 acres near the town of Freestone in the Sonoma Coast appellation with a goal of creating a winery to produce outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.   They certainly have done a great job.

Size:  750ml
Varietal:  100% Chardonnay
Barrel aging:  12-15 months in French oak barrels (70% new, 30% one- to two-years-old)
Alcohol: 14.0%
Vintage:  2006
Region:  Sonoma Coast, California
Production: 2,500 dozen