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
98 Points
Deep purple hue and an alluring aromatic profile of fresh blue fruits and delicate violets. On the palate, it delivers a seamless and layered texture, framed by supple, polished tannins and a refined sense of balance. Elegantly structured, it offers remarkable purity and finesse, finishing with graceful length and poise.
97 Points
Lush and fleshy, with cassis, boysenberry, and blackberry notes guided by hints of alder and mesquite. Stays open but defined through the finish, with a buried hint of sweet tobacco. A rich, layered beast, this has a nose rife with currants, blackberries, vanilla, and light toast with flavors of mocha, plum, and Bing cherry that mingle harmoniously on the tongue.
Gold Medal
Generously packed with black cherry, cola, cassis, and plum that all intermingle together in a creamy, velvety texture with great layering, finishing with delightful notes of oak and spice. Persistent, well-defined structure, wonderfully balanced.
95 Points
This stellar Napa Valley Red Blend marries lush plum and cherry with Malbec's dark berry depth and Petit Verdot's structure and spice. Layered with notes of blackberry, violet, and cocoa, this silky wine finishes with smooth tannins and a whisper of toasted oak. Robust and mouth-filling, with spicy nuances, smooth tannins, firm structure, and a long lingering finish.
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