Lush yet enough acidity for balance, and with plenty of ripe tropical fruit, this should appeal to fans of medium to rich chardonnay, and represents an outstanding bargain.
Like so many wine lovers, Paul Maroon dreamed of moving to Napa and planting a vineyard. In 2000, he was able to accomplish this dream with the purchase of 35 acres of land in the Coombsville area of Napa, where he planted Cabernet Sauvignon, and sold his grapes to Joseph Phelps. As so often happens in these cases, Paul eventually got the itch to make his own wine, and in 2008 founded Maroon Wines to produce small lots of handcrafted wine. His Chardonnay is sourced from a single vineyard in the Oak Knoll AVA, just North of Carneros, where the proximity to the San Pablo Bay moderates temperatures and makes it a more suitable area for growing Chardonnay than the warmer areas to the north. This is a beautiful Chardonnay, and you are unlikely to see a better bargain for single-vineyard chardonnay from the Napa Valley.
Vintage: 2018
Harvest Date: September 2018
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay, Single Vineyard
Appellation: 100% Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley
Release Date: April 2020
Alcohol%: 14.4%
Production: 85 cases
90 Points
Rich and voluptuous with ripe raspberry, cherry, and plum, layered with hints of lavender, fig compote, and exotic spice. Concentrated and complex, the palate is a balanced interplay cocoa, and a hint of espresso, creating both richness and intrigue. Vibrant acidity and silky tannins that contribute heft and length that coat the palate with luscious ripeness that keeps on giving.
93 Points
Deep red hue and hints of violet teasing the senses with seductive aromas of dark fruits, wild berries, cocoa, baking spices, leather, and cigar box. Filled with saturated flavors of ripe blackberry, blueberry, cassis, cherry cola, ripe plum, chopped mint leaves, while the palate unfolds with rich tannin, juicy acidity, and flavors of cherry gastrique, berry coulis, herb mélange, and licorice.
