Exceptional!
Delicious for any occasion, or perfect for aging. Enjoy with herb-crusted pork ribs, grilled chicken Caesar salad, poached salmon and more.
Vintage: The 2023 Carneros vintage is described as exceptional, with a long, cool growing season leading to high-quality fruit. A wet winter and spring provided ample soil moisture, supporting a healthy bloom and a long, mild summer. This resulted in extended hang time for the grapes, allowing for optimal flavor development and a balance of acidity and sugar. While some vineyards experienced mildew pressure, the loose clusters and consistent weather allowed for good airflow and healthy fruit.
Vineyard: This special single vineyard Chardonnay, sourced from the famous Sangiacomo Vineyard in Carneros, is not to be missed. On the nose, you'll first enjoy the slight oak, with essence of lilac, toasted brioche and sage. Once you swirl the wine on your taste buds, the minerality, soft melted butter, quince and fig flavors will titillate them. Truley a chardonnay lovers Chardonnay.
Winemaking: After whole-cluster pressing and cold settling, the juice was racked into small stainless steel fermenters and inoculated with CY3079 yeast. The juice was transferred to 60 gallon Francois Freres and Marsannay Bur-gundy-shaped barrels, of which 40% were new oak, for the start of barrel fermentation. The wine remained aged sur-lees for a period of 7 months during which it was stirred every 10 days.
Winemaker: Nils Venge, regarded as one of the foremost pioneers in the Napa Valley wine industry who became the first American winemaker to receive a perfect 100-point rating from Robert Parker on his 1985 Reserve Cabernet while at Groth.
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: Sonoma County, Carneros
Vineyard: Sangiacomo Vineyard
Harvest date: September 16th, 2023
Sugar: 23 Brix (average)
Total acid: 6.9 g/L
pH: 3.44
Cooperage: 40% new French oak barrels
Bottling date: April 2024
Release date: September 2024
Alcohol: 14.2% by volume
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.
PDF