Project Description
2019 Diana’s Chardonnay
California AVA
Tasting Notes
“Pale straw hue. Enchanting scents of fig, kiwi, papaya, apricot, pear, and peach unite in this ‘best of the best’ barrel selection of Chardonnay. With some time in the glass, notes of apple, jasmine, and grapefruit add further complexity. All of these characters persist on the palate and segue towards minerality. The texture of this wine is unctuous and offers incredible depth of layers. While this wine flirts with being big in intensity, it quickly flows towards decadence at the end, with a full, pleasing, and lovely finish. Enjoy now through 2031.”
~Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
Join our Jensen Reserve Society Club to guarantee you receive next year’s allocation.
“Drawn from selected barrels deemed to be the very best from the many far-flung vineyard sources responsible for its makers extensive line-up of accomplished Chardonnays, Diana’s takes its accustomed place at the head of Testarossa’s very fine 2019 class. Ripe and juicy and decked out by lovely, perfectly integrated oak, it is a wine that manages to be as genuinely sophisticated as it is so wonderfully rich, and, from its balance and persistence to its marvelous layering and compelling complexity, it is a wine that collectors of the state’s very finest Chardonnays will not want to miss. Bravo… once again! “
Connoisseurs’ Guide
May 2021
Production Data
Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Various
Barrel Aging: 16 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 61% new
Production: 18 barrels
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 3.44 pH, 5.6 TA (g/L)
Alcohol: 14.3%
Harvest: Various
Release Price: $81
Drink Now through 2031
Past Vintage Wine Scores
“Year in and year out, Testarossa’s Diana’s Chardonnay has proven to be among the cream of the crop and gets the nod as our favorite Chardonnay of the year.” January 2021
“We feel compelled to point out each year that this wine’s simple designation as having been grown in California is more than a little misleading, as Testarossa’s Diana’s bottlings are flagship Chardonnays drawn from the winery’s very finest lots, and the 2018 version is everything that a “reserve” offering should be. It is as complex as it is deep and impeccably balanced with up-front richness to spare yet is also a wine that continues to reveal more and more with each successive sniff and sip. Drink it now, if you will, and there are plenty of reasons to do so, but it has more in store for those who are willing to opt for patient cellaring and will increasingly attest to that fact as the next half-dozen years come and go.”
Connoisseurs’ Guide
November 2020
“Do not be misled by this one’s designation of origin simply as California, for it is, in fact, Testarossa’s flagship Chardonnay made from a selection of the winery’s best lots and is, in every way, a wine of great stature and depth. It is enormously fruity, beautifully proportioned and decked out with especially lovely oak, and all of its many parts combine in an uncommonly seamless whole. From its complexity and richness to its impeccable balance, it is the stuff of which serious Chardonnay is made, and, while certain to age gracefully for years, it is so satisfying now that impatient drinking cannot be condemned.”
Connoisseurs’ Guide
August 2019
“Golden color; smooth and rich, juicy and elegant; toasty, ripe and lovely; balanced and racy, subtle and long”
Anthony Dias Blue
June 2018
“With a wonderfully gregarious, multilayered nose of guava, pineapple, ripe peaches and pink grapefruit plus supporting notions of spice box, candied ginger and toasted nuts, the medium-bodied 2015 Chardonnay Diana’s is tightly wound in the mouth, offering glimpses at the many tropical and savory layers, finishing long and vibrant.”
Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
September 2017
“The winery’s best-barrel bottling of Chardonnay, this excels on all fronts, showing lemon peels, browned butter, creamy lily and pan-seared apples on the light, crisp yet savory nose. The mouthfeel is rich but decorated with zesty line of salty acidity that cuts through the lemon-curd flavors. Altogether mouthwatering, it’s perfect for a seaside meal.”
Matt Kettman
Wine Enthusiast
November 2016
“An 8-12 barrel selection, the 2013 Chardonnay Diana’s Reserve is up with the crème de la crème from the vintage. Possessing similar aromatics to the Fogstone Vineyard release, with beautiful lemon rind, citrus blossom, honeysuckle and hints of toasted bread, it’s medium-bodied, firm and crisp on the palate, with fabulous purity and precision. This is pure class, and I suspect will drink nicely for at least another 7-8 years.”
Jeb Dunnuck
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“Made from the best eight barrels in the winery, the 2012 Chardonnay Diana’s Reserve (100% Chardonnay aged 11.5 months in 42% new French oak) has a ripe, textured and decadent style to go with classy citrus blossom, ripe orchard fruits, white flowers and crème brûlée-like aromas and flavors. Like all of the Chardonnays from this estate, this beauty has notable freshness and purity, good concentration and plenty of length on the finish. It will deliver the goods for 3-4 years.”
Jeb Dunnuck
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
October 2014
“The top wine of the estate and made from a selection of top barrels, the 2011 Chardonnay Diana’s is a stunner. Offering up lively, pure notes of mineral, marzipan and golden fruits, it flows onto the palate with rich, full, mid-palate, beautifully integrated acidity and superb focus on the finish. It should continue to impress through 2018. Drink now-2018. Founded in 1993 by Rob and Diana Jensen, with the wines made by Bill Brosseau, Testarossa Winery is located just outside of Los Gatos (just south of San Jose) and pulls grapes from a star-studded cast of vineyards throughout the central coast. All of the wines have beautiful purity of fruit and classical, perfectly made profiles. They also remain reasonably priced given the quality.”
Jeb Dunnuck
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
August 2013
“Layers of fruit wrap around the palate with gorgeous richness and density in the 2010 Chardonnay Diana’s, a selection of the best barrels of Chardonnay in the cellar. Clean underlying mineral notes and sweet, perfumed aromatics round out the Diana’s in all directions. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018”
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
August 2012
“Diana’s is Testarossa’s best barrel blend from its various vineyards from around the coast, hence the California appellation. It’s certainly ultrarich, almost decadent, with the apricot, pear and honey sweetness of a late-harvest dessert wine. Yet its thoroughly dry, and finishes with clean, minerally acidity. Deserves its reserve-level price.”
Steve Heimoff
Wine Enthusiast
“A best-of-barrels selection from the winery’s various vineyards, this is a lush, intricate Chardonnay made in the modern style. It’s fantastically rich in pineapple tart flavors, with the sweet, smoky crust, and more acidic citrus notes of Meyer lemons and limes. Oak aging and lees add fortunate layers of buttered toast and cream. Very intricate, with Chablisian dryness and minerality. Now–2014.”
Steve Heimoff
Wine Enthusiast
“This is a blend of Testarossa’s far-flung vineyards across California, hence the statewide appellation. It’s extraordinarily rich and explosive in apricots, pineapples, guavas, nectarines, buttered toast and smoky, caramelized oak. So muscular that you might want to age it for a year or two, to let it calm down.”
Steve Heimoff
Wine Enthusiast
“Rich and ripe in the Testarossa style, and delightfully outgoing, this full-bodied effort is loaded with bright apple and citrus fruit aromas and while it has been steeped in very fancy oak barrels, it does not sell itself to that oak and instead comes across as full of balanced, attractive personality. It also carries a lighter, almost candied edge that is not so evident in most of the winery’s other offerings reviewed here.”
Charles Olken & Steve Elliot
Connoisseur’s Guide
February 2008
“Firm and focused, with lots of intense, complex flavors built around green apple, nectarine and light toasty oak. Folds together nicely on the finish, where the flavors are both layered and delicate. Drink now through 2011. 297 cases made.”
James Laube
Wine Spectator
“Shows the richness and complexity of all Testarossa’s Chardonnays, with masses of tropical fruit and oak flavors balanced by zesty acidity. But this wine, with a statewide appellation, has a mouthwatering minerality, a zesty tang of steel, that gives the wine extra layers. What a delicious, exciting Chardonnay.”
Steve Heimoff
Wine Enthusiast
“The 2003 Chardonnay Diana’s Reserve is a complex, elegant, restrained yet well-layered, concentrated offering. It possesses medium to full body, notes of tangerines, honeyed citrus, white peaches, and pineapple, good underlying acidity, a judicious touch of wood, and a long finish. Enjoy this complex, complete Chardonnay over the next 3-4 years.”
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
August 2005
2019 Diana’s Chardonnay – Barrel Composition
| Barrel | Vineyard (Clone) | Cooper | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18301 | Brosseau (Wente) | Cadus | TG Medium 2-y |
| 17385 | Brosseau (Wente) | Billon | Vosges Medium 3-y |
| 17330 | Brosseau (Wente) | Bel Air | Medium Elegance 2-y |
| 19204 | Brosseau (Wente) | Billon | CF Medium 3-y |
| 19410 | La Rinconada (15) | Mercurey | Nicolas Light Long 2-y |
| 19125 | La Rinconada (15) | Francois Frere | VSG Medium 2-y |
| 19223 | La Rinconada (15) | Billon | Billon Select 2-y |
| 19119 | Lone Oak (Wente) | Francois Frere | TG Medium+ 2-y |
| 19407 | Rincon (Robert Young) | Louis Latour | CoF, House 2-y |
| 17273 | Rincon (4) | Seguin Moreau | IB Medium Long 2-y |
| 19017 | Rincon (4) | Remond | VF Medium Long 3-y |
| 18330 | Rosella’s (96) | Billon | AF Medium 3-y |
| 19362 | Sanford & Benedict (4) | Cavin | Chatillonais Deep Light 3-y |
| 19309 | Sierra Mar (95) | Seguin Moreau | IB Medium Long 2-y |
| 19180 | Tondre Grapefield (76) | Francois Frere | TG Medium 3-y |
| 19248 | Tondre Grapefield (76) | Cadus | AF Medium 2-y |
| 18332 | Tondre Grapefield (76) | Billon | VF Medium 3-y |
| 18028 | Tondre Grapefield (76) | Francois Frere | TG Medium+ 2-y |
Tight Grain (TG), Very Special Grain (VSG), Very Tight Grain (VTG), Citeaux Forest (CF), Allier Forest (AF), Vosges Forest (VF), Icone Blanc (IB), Center of France (CoF)
California AVA
Don’t let the California appellation designation fool you, our Jensen Reserve Society wines are made from our top selection barrels that come from the best vineyards for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in California, from the Russian River Valley to the north to the Santa Rita Hills to the south. Each year, Director of Winemaking Bill Brosseau and his team select the top barrels from more than a thousand to make this special wine that bares the Jensen Family’s names – the matriarch “Diana’s” and the combination of Nick and Claire for Niclaire. It is our highest achievement in winemaking.
Past Vintages
Wine Production Data
Tasting Notes
“Medium yellow hue. Wonderful scents of ripe fig, passionfruit, ripe pear with subtle notes of grapefruit and honey. Upon taste these characteristics intensify with elements of crème brulee and hazelnut. The lush, dense mouthfeel is exhilarating and balanced by modest acidity and silky smooth sensations. This blend of Diana’s favorite barrels finishes with concentration, decadence, and length. While drinking spectacular now, it will be enjoyed through 2030.”
~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
Production Data
Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Various
Barrel Aging: 16 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 44% new
Production: 18 barrels
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 6.65 g/L – 3.33 pH
Alcohol: 14.3%
Harvest: Various
Drink Now through 2030
Wine Composition
| Barrel | Vineyard (Clone) | Cooper | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11263 |
|
Neutral Oak | —- | |
| 15158 | Fogstone (95) | Neutral Oak | —- | |
| 17040 |
|
Francois Frere | VSG Medium Toast 3-y | |
| 17057 | Fogstone (76) | Francois Frere | TG Medium Toast 3-y | |
| 17250 | Fogstone (76) | Seguin Moreau | Medium Long 3-y | |
| 18019 | Fogstone (76) | Francois Frere | VSG Medium Toast 3-y | |
| 18284 | Fogstone (95) | Mercurey | Chauffe Light Long | |
| 18489 | Fogstone (15) | Billon | Select | |
| 17035 | La Rinconada (76) | Francois Frere | TG Medium+ Toast | |
| 17050 | La Rinconada (15) | Francois Frere | VSG Medium Toast | |
| 1234 | La Rinconada (15) | Mercurey | Chauffe Light Long | |
| 18097 | La Rinconada (15) | Francois Frere | VSG Medium Toast | |
| 18039 | Lone Oak (Wente) | Francois Frere | VSG Medium+ Toast | |
| 18166 | Rincon (4) |
|
Medium Toast Long 3-y | |
| 18476 | Rosella’s (96) | Mercurey | Light and Fruity | |
| 17156 | Sanford & Benedict (Wente) | Remond | Medium Toast Long | |
| 17272 | Sierra Mar (95) | Seguin Moreau | Medium Long | |
| 18012 | Sierra Mar (96) | Francois Frere | VTG Medium Toast 3-y |
Tight Grain (TG), Very Special Grain (VSG), Very Tight Grain (VTG)
Tasting Notes
“Medium yellow hue. Abundant notes of kiwi, maple, pineapple, butterscotch, and lemon. With time, notes of key lime pie and orange zest flow in. While the flavors remain true to the aroma profile, they are matched with rich flavors of crème brulee. Exhibiting vibrant acidity, liveliness, and youth, this Chardonnay blend is densely layered with a very long and persistent finish. Enjoy now through 2027.”
~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
Production Data
Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Various
Barrel Aging: 18 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 50% new
Production: 18 barrels
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 6.6 g/L – 3.26 pH
Alcohol: 14.3%
Harvest: Various
Drink Now through 2027
Wine Composition
| Barrel | Vineyard (Clone) | Cooper | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17040 | Fogstone (76) | François Frere | Medium Toast |
| 17301 | Fogstone (76) | Cadus | Medium Toast |
| 17069 | Fogstone (76) | François Frere | Medium+ Toast |
| 15040 | Fogstone (76) | Remond | Medium Toast Long |
| 17021 | Fogstone (Hudson) | François Frere | Medium Toast |
| 17213 | Fogstone (15) | Mercurey | Light Toast Long |
| 17209 | La Rinconada (15) | Mercurey | Light Toast Long |
| 17379 | La Rinconada (15) | Billion | Medium Toast |
| 16347 | Lone Oak (Wente) | Mercurey | Light Toast |
| 16206 | Lone Oak (Wente) | Taransaud | Medium Toast |
| 16267 | Rincon (4) | François Frere | Medium Toast |
| 15116 | Sanford & Benedict (4) | François Frere | Medium+ Toast |
| 17057 | Sierra Madre (15) | François Frere | Medium Long |
| 13280 | Sierra Mar (95) | Cadus | Medium+ Toast |
| 16244 | Soberanes (Wente) | François Frere | Medium+ Toast |
| 16240 | Soberanes (Wente) | François Frere | Medium+ Toast |
| 17387 | Tondre Grapefield (76,96) | Billion | Medium Toast |
| 16439 | Tondre Grapefield (76,96) | Billion | Medium Toast |
Tasting Notes
“Medium yellow color. Engaging scents of grapefruit, passionfruit, honey, ripe fig, and ripe apricot. With light aeration, notes of lemon-zest, apple, and mango round out this multi-vineyard blend. Upon taste, grapefruit, passion fruit, and mango concentrate while the other elements grow more subtle. This Chardonnay exhibits brilliant spirit with fresh, creamy, and dense textural complexity. This wine finishes with a long, lingering story of pleasure. Enjoy now through 2028.”
~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
Production Data
Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Various
Barrel Aging: 18 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 53% new
Production: 16 barrels
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 7.56 g/L – 3.21 pH
Alcohol: 14.3%
Harvest: Various
Drink Now through 2028
Tasting Notes
“Medium Straw hue. Engaging scents of ripe peach, ripe apple pie, honey, passionfruit, and nutmeg leap out of the glass and are followed by notes of ripe fig, ripe apricot, and vanilla bean. While this wine is complex on the nose, these same attributes are framed by a nice citrus core of lemon, grapefruit, and even a touch more vanilla. Vibrancy and intricacy define the palate and this multi-vineyard blend leads into a pure, fresh, and youthful finish. Enjoy now through 2027.”
~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
Production Data
Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: California
Barrel Aging: 14 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 13% new
Production: 14 barrels
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 6.44 g/L – 3.43 pH
Alcohol: 14.4%
Harvest: Various
Club Release: July 2017
Drink Now through 2027
Tasting Notes
“Medium Straw hue. Engaging scents of ripe peach, ripe apple pie, honey, passion fruit, and nutmeg leap out of the glass and are followed by notes of ripe fig, ripe apricot, and vanilla bean. While this wine is complex on the nose, these same attributes are framed by a nice citrus core of lemon, grapefruit, and even a touch more vanilla. Vibrancy and intricacy define the palate and this multi-vineyard blend leads into a pure, fresh, and youthful finish. Enjoy now through 2027.”
~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
Production Data
Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: California
Barrel Aging: 12 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 46% New
Production: 14 barrels
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 6.57 g/L – 3.33 pH
Alcohol: 14.4%
Harvest: Various
Club Release: July 2016
Drink Now through 2027
Tasting Notes
“Dense yellow hue. Wonderful scents of ripe fig, apple, banana custard and butterscotch, followed by notes of lemon, apricot and brioche. Flavors of fig, apple, apricot and butterscotch are the greatest in strength, followed by, to a lesser extent, the remainder of the aroma profile. This very generous Chardonnay is luscious and dense with a subtle zest from the vibrant acidity. It finishes very polished, with subtle layers and some notes of minerality. It will continue to improve and be enjoyable through 2025.”~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
Production Data
Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: California
Barrel Aging: 10 months
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 42% New
Production: 13 barrels
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity: 3.27 g/L – 3.27 pH
Alcohol: 14.4%
Harvest: Various
Club Release: July 2015
Drink Now through 2025
Tasting Notes
“Pale Straw hue. Very complex aroma profile of honeycomb, pear, apple, fig, apricot, mango, crème brulee, and vanilla bean. Once this wine settles down in the palate, notes of honeycomb, fig, pear, mango, and crème brulee remain. This ‘best of the best’ barrel selection offers a densely concentrated palate with brisk acidity, keeping it balanced on the finish. It should continue to gain intensity and complexity over the next few years of careful aging. Drink now through 2022.”
~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
Production Data
Growers: Various
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: California
Barrel Aging:
Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 40% New
Production: 11 barrels
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Acidity:
Alcohol: 14.3%
Harvest: Various
Club Release: August 28, 2014
Drink Now through 2022
Tasting Notes
“Medium straw hue. Generous scents of butterscotch, kiwi, mango, and grapefruit unite in this ‘best of the best’ barrel selection. These scents segue into brilliant arrays of the tropical fruit, citrus, and butterscotch. Brisk acidity and lush mouthfeel make for an epic experience. This wine just does not stop, with its long lingering finish. I dare say this is our best Diana’s Chardonnay to date. Drink now through 2020.”
~ Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking