Jamessuckling.com | JS 91
Published: Jan 3, 2022

Ripe lemon, roasted pineapple, rich lees and ginger. A flavorful chardonnay with creamy acidity and hints of brioche and toast. Finishes with ripe yellow fruit and a mineral undertone. A slightly richer version from Helan Qingxue. Drink now.

The Wine Advocate | RP 87
Published: Jan 13, 2022

Helan Qingxue’s 2020 Jiabeilan Reserve Chardonnay has a deep lemon appearance. On the nose, there is some ripe stone fruit—peach, nectarine—with green melon combining with some new oak notes of clove, vanilla and toast (the 2020 seeing 30% new small-format French oak for 11 months). On the palate, the 2020 Jiabeilan Reserve Chardonnay is medium-bodied with fairly well-integrated 12.5% alcohol, some supporting acidity and a touch of lees texture adding some complexity to the core of ripe fruit. With its moderate length, the wine could benefit from greater concentration, but it’s nicely assembled and drinking well now, with some potential for improvement in bottle in the short term (i.e., over the next two years). Drink Date: 2021 - 2023