Planeta Didacus Chardonnay 2019

The 2019 Chardonnay Didacus is a pretty golden color. An exotic mix of crushed yellow apples and hints of peach is complemented by almond extract, vanilla custard and sweet smoke. This is seamlessly silky and nearly oily in feel, communicating undeniable elegance, with confectionery spices mixing with saline-minerals to create a push and pull of tension, as ripe orchard fruits settle upon the senses. The 2019 finishes impossibly long with a perfectly integrated hint of oak that lingers, which is more of an accent than a distraction, as a bitter trace of hazelnut slowly fades. This classy rendition of Didacus ranks among the top Italian Chardonnays that I’ve ever tasted. Drinking window: 2023-2029. Score – 96. (Eric Guido, vinous.com, June 2022)