94 Points - Year’s Best US Chardonnay, Wine & Spirits - October 2021
91 Points - JamesSuckling.com - November 1, 2021
Delicious now, or perfect for aging in your cellar. Enjoy with herb-crusted pork ribs, grilled chicken Caesar salad, poached salmon and more.
Vineyard: This Chardonnay thrives American Canyon and Carneros vineyards in the southern tip of Napa Valley, near San Pablo Bay, which spills into the San Francisco Bay. The cool maritime breezes and morning fog allow the grapes to slowly ripen to develop complex flavors while maintaining a pleasing natural acidity that is impossible to achieve in warmer areas. Farmed all naturally, without artificial pesticides or herbicides, and they are certified organic.
Vintage: Napa Valley experienced an above-average rainfall in the early months of 2019 with over 50 inches of rain in Rutherford. The residual moisture and colder than average soils led to a delayed start in budbreak. Spring and summer enjoyed moderate temperatures with no significant heat spikes until August. The harvest began in early September and finished the first week of November.
Alcohol: 14.1%
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: Napa Valley Estate
Harvest date: Aug. 30 - Oct. 3, 2019
Sugar: 23.1 Brix (average)
Fermentation: indigenous yeast
Total acid: 6.8 g/L
pH: 3.39
Aging: Fermented and aged 10 months
Type of oak: French oak; 40% new, 60% neutral
Bottling date: January 2021
92 Points
Aromas of blackberry, dried fig, black cherry, blackberry coulis, toasted vanilla, and a hint of cigar box. The palate offers rich and velvety tannins, dark chocolate-covered cherries, black plum, mixed berry pie and toasted walnut. Long and expressive with loads of flavor.
New Release
A ferociously fun Napa Valley blend with depth, balance and big flavor. Aromas of red currant, fresh strawberries, black plum, vanilla, and notes of cocoa on the nose. The palate is bursting with fruit ranging from cherries, mixed berry compote, toasted hazelnut and more. This wine has great texture that ultimately finishes with round, silky smooth tannins.
91 Points
Layers of strawberry, baked cherry pie, anise, cherry lollipop, wild game, and spicebox. On the palate, black cherry jam couples with crème de cassis, mixed berry crisp, rhubarb, and a touch of vanilla.
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