David Bruce Chardonnay Review

There’s something about holding a bottle of David Bruce Chardonnay that makes you feel like you’re on the cusp of true classiness. And by that, I mean it looks expensive enough that you’d rather not drop it on your kitchen floor. I tasted the 2019 David Bruce Estate Chardonnay in 2024, and the vintage matters here because wine is inconveniently unwilling to remain exactly the same forever.

David Bruce Chardonnay aroma

As I opened the bottle, I picked up Meyer lemon and tangerine alongside dried apricot, toasted walnut and fresh-bread notes. Nothing says “refined” quite like citrus and a toasted carb, apparently.

What it tasted like

On the palate, I found apricot and dried peach balanced by orange zest and toasted nut notes. There was also a small hint of butterscotch at the end. This wasn’t a Chardonnay that overwhelmed me with richness; it was considerably more restrained.

The acidity reminded me of Meyer lemon, while the minerality and finish were more elusive. I found myself going back for another sip to see whether those subtler notes would become more pronounced.

My take on the 2019 vintage

The 2019 David Bruce Estate Chardonnay delivered a fairly subtle Chardonnay experience for me. It’s the sort of bottle I’d put alongside dinner rather than make the center of the evening. Other vintages can taste different, so these notes are specific to the 2019 bottle I tasted.

If wine reviews are your thing, see our St. Supéry Napa Valley wines review for another bottle-by-bottle tasting.