Voted #1 Chardonnay By The Glass - Wine & Spirits
91 Points - California Grapevine - Aug 2019
90 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Best of Class & Double Gold - West Coast Wine Competition - Feb 2019
Gold Medal - San Francisco Chronicle - Jan 2019
Gold Medal - New World International - Feb 2019
Gold Medal - Sunset Int’l Wine Competition - June 2019
Gold Medal - Critics Challenge - June 2019
Offers a wide array of tropical/citrus notes, and maintains the perfect acidity and freshness. Well-made Chardonnay. Perfect for year round enjoyment.
VINEYARDS
The foundation for the 2018 Carneros Chardonnay is Frank Family’s Lewis Vineyard, located in the heart of Napa-Carneros, near the shores of the San Pablo Bay. It is made up of 78 acres planted on gently rolling hills, with 68 acres planted to Chardonnay and 10 acres planted to Pinot Noir. The predominant maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean creates the cool temperature, fog and wind that make Carneros ideally suited for growing cool climate varietals. The Lewis Vineyard consists primarily of shallow and dense clay loam soils, receiving only 20 inches of rainfall annually. The restricting soils result in extremely low yields, producing grapes with strong character and balanced acidity. Other fruit sources for this wine include Beckstoffer Vineyards and Hudson Vineyards located in Napa-Carneros, and Sangiacomo Vineyards located in Sonoma-Carneros.
COOPERAGE
Barrel fermented in 34% new, 33% once and 33% twice-filled French oak barrels for 9 months. While ageing on the lees, the wine was hand stirred regularly to promote depth and longevity.
Vintage: 2018
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: 100% Carneros
Harvest Date: September 2nd - 26th, 2018
Bottled: July 2019
pH: 3.47
TA: 0.61 g/100ml
Aging: Barrel fermented in 34% new, 33% once and 33% twice-filled French oak barrels for 9 months. While ageing on the lees, the wine was hand stirred regularly to promote depth and longevity.
Alcohol: 14.4%
Wine Maker: Todd Graff
Dark ruby red in the glass, and good swirl on the nose offers generous aromatics of cassis, black cherry and spice. Generously oaked, with crushed blackberry, baked plums, baking spices, and Turkish fig. A supple body, gives way to red and dark fruit like plum, blueberry compote, prune, with anise and light spice on the finish.
92 Points
Lofty aromas of ripe red fruits layered with notes of crushed violets, berry cobbler, cherry and creme brulee leading into crushed blackberry with cassis, mocha, leather, mineral, and baking spice. Its all encompassing and bold mouthfeel are outstanding, as deep tannins dance around the palate, finishing with flavors of blackberry, fig, and pipe tobacco.
Exceptional
Aromas of bright oak, essence of lilac, toasted brioche and sage delight your senses. Flavors are just as complex with hints of soft melted butter, quince, fig, and a touch of lavender that titillate your taste buds. Its delightful texture is balanced by great acidity, leading to a long satisfying finish. Truly a chardonnay lovers Chardonnay.
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