Voted #1 Chardonnay By The Glass - Wine & Spirits
93 Points, Gold Medal - Monterey Wine Competition - March 2021
91 Points, Gold Medal - North Coast Wine Challenge - April 2021
90 Points - Jeb Dunnuck - Jan 2021
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 2019 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 8 months. While ageing on the lees, the wine was hand stirred regularly to promote depth and longevity.
Vintage: 2019
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: 100% Carneros
Harvest Date: Sept 14 - Oct 11, 2019
Bottled: June 2020
pH: 3.46
TA: 0.561 g/100ml
Aging: Barrel fermented in 34% new, 33% once and 33% twice-filled French oak barrels for 8 months. While ageing on the lees, the wine was hand stirred regularly to promote depth and longevity.
Alcohol: 14.4%
Wine Maker: Todd Graff
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 top pick.
90 Points
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.
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.
Rich & Luxurious!
Beautiful ruby color and opens with aromas of bright red plum and raspberry, cassis, and a touch of mint. The tannins are soft yet structured, and complemented by vibrant acidity, with hints of clove and baking spice from the oak aging. The wine ends with a long, smooth finish and lingering intensity encouraging you to enjoy another juicy sip.
94 Points
Deep garnet-purple in color and strides confidently out of the glass with notes of crushed blueberries, ripe blackberry, and warm cassis with hints of cherry, black olive, currant and a touch of black pepper.
94 Points
Aromas of cocoa mingle with notes of cassis, black cherry, blackberry coulis, graphite, toasted vanilla, and a hint of cedar. The palate is harmonious as the richness of barrel spice melds seamlessly with juicy plum, blackberry and licorice flavors. An incredibly polished texture, even at a young age. Long and expressive with loads of flavor.
96 Points
Ruby-plum core with a light purple rim in the glass, with aromas of dark cherry, plum, spicy cola and black tea waft from the glass. The palate delivers all of that and then some, adding layers of fig jam, white peppercorn and baking spice. Firm juicy tannins and balanced acidity round it out.
94 Points
Deep garnet in color from the ripe 2018 vintage, with open aromas of lush fruit – plum, blackberry, and cherry, and notes of cedar, vanilla, and white pepper. Across the palate it's quite seamless and silky, rich and concentrated. The fruit flavors are bold and vibrant. Mouth-filling with smooth tannins, great texture and a long delicious finish.
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