WTN: Rombauer Chard Carneros '21...(short/boring)

So.....thought I would revisit the Rombauer Chard I've been defending here:
1. Rombauer Chard Carneros (14.5%) Rombauer/Napa 2021: Med.dark gold color; strong toasty/pencilly/Fr.oak very ripe/melony/Chard/almondy/lightly floral bit Chard/spicy rather perfumed/fragrant nose; bit soft/tangy strong ripe/melony/Chard/almondy strong toasty/Fr.oak some M-L/lactic/buttery somewhat simple flavor that doesn't speak of Carneros; long bit soft very rich/lush strong M-L/lactic/buttery very ripe/melony/Chard finish; speaks mostly of Fr.oak & very ripe Chard w/ no c-c/Carneros signature; a rather boring Chard & way too far into cougar juice teritory; not nearly as good as the ones I had several yrs ago & utterly boring; way overpriced & doesn't hold a candle to a DryCreekVnyds Chard at half the price; this is definitely cougar juice & not serious Chard; bye-bye Rombauer. $46.00 (SFW&S)
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More romblefag from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Yrs ago, when Rombauer Calif Chard became wildly popular; I tried it. Like the K-J Vintner's Select Chard, I found it too sweet/soft and a grotesque characterization of all that's bad of Calif Chard.
Sometime in the late teens, I tried a Rombauer Carneros Chard, mostly because it was a bit expensive for a Rombauer Calif Chard, which they don't make anymore. Probably about the '16 vintage. I liked it quite a lot & thought Rombauer no longer deserved to reputation os the kicking bag for buttery/overoaked/soft/sweet Calif Chard. Tried them again probably thru the '19 vintage & still liked them. So when anybody on the wine boards castigated the Rombauer Chard as cougar juice, I would rise up in its defense.
So I thought I tried this recent one, the '21. Not at all the same Carneros Chard I recalled. This one fully deserved the cougar juice sobriquet. So please, now & forever more, ignore my defense of Rombauer Chard. But help is on the way. Gallo will make things right w/ Rombauer Chard.
Tom

[Jenise]

Had to laugh at 'cougar juice'. Have not noticed you using that expression before but I can't wait to spring it on my oaky-blowsy-chard loving brother in law later today.

[David M. Bueker]

Rombauer has been “cougar juice” for over a decade…more like two.

It was in a Sex & The City episode ages ago which cemented its status.

[Jenise]

Not a watcher of that program, so missed the annointing. But so fun.

[David M. Bueker]

I’m not either, but the legend was made there.

So now that Gallo owns them, any bets on what might change?

[David M. Bueker]

So now that Gallo owns them, any bets on what might change?

Not much. They know a good cash cow when they buy one.

So now that Gallo owns them, any bets on what might change?

Not much. They know a good cash cow when they buy one.

David is right. Probably not a whole lot of change will happen.
Tom

So now that Gallo owns them, any bets on what might change?

Not much. They know a good cash cow when they buy one.

David is right. Probably not a whole lot of change will happen.
Tom

My thought too. <sigh>

[David M. Bueker]

Why the sigh?

Why the sigh?

I don't totally know. I guess I always harbor hope that an older family winery that has fallen into the trap of making wines that sell might escape. And I know Gallo. So the sigh is perhaps for fading hope.

[David M. Bueker]

Could very well be that the family wasn't interested in keeping it going.

Could very well be that the family wasn't interested in keeping it going.

That's very likely.

[Jenise]

My thought too. <sigh>

John, a few years back someone brought a '15 chard to a blind tasting. Fooled everyone. Where every prior Rombauer chard I'd ever had was the color of Mountain Dew and silly over-extracted, this one was pale straw gold and on the palate similarly subdued. Not one of us would have run out to buy some, but it was definitely drinkable and miles away from our expectations for this producer.
Surprising for Rombauer, especially in a warm vintage like '15. We wondered if they'd changed their tune, but this '21 says no.