This graceful Chardonnay opens with fragrant aromas of white peach, pear, and honeysuckle with light tropical fruit and cream soda notes. Medium bodied, this wine has a lovely texture and delicate ripe fruit notes with hints of minerality and lemon zest on the finish. There is a nice balance to the acidity and minerality that enhances the freshness and elegance of this wine.

Overall, 2015 was a year with lower than usual crop size but with high quality fruit. The growing season was hot and dry and harvest started and ended early. A very warm and relatively dry winter led to early budbreak but, conversely, temperatures were abnormally low during the bloom period in May. During this extended bloom, there were two small rain events that resulted in a high incidence of ‘shatter,’ reducing tonnage. While it was a challenging vintage, by continually adjusting to the challenges and employing best practices, the grapes brought into the winery were of high quality.

KARIA comes from a tapestry of vineyards in the southern part of Napa Valley. For the 2015 offering, vineyards in the Oak Knoll AVA (including Danika Ranch), Carneros, Atlas Peak District, and Coombsville (ARCADIA VINEYARD) contributed fruit for this wine. The vineyards in Carneros, which are cooled in the mornings and evenings by breezes sweeping north from San Pablo Bay, contribute citrus and mineral notes to the wine. ARCADIA VINEYARD brings perfume and delicate fruit characters while our estate vineyard at Danika Ranch provides bright, juicy apple and pear personality to the blend. The fruit was picked early in the morning to keep it cool and then was whole cluster pressed to preserve the freshness. Oak and malolactic fermentation were used in moderation to accent, rather than overwhelm, the fruit.

The name KARIA (KAR-ee-ah) is derived from the Greek word meaning graceful, and the 2015 KARIA Chardonnay lives up to its moniker. It shows how grapes from select cool-climate vineyards in southern Napa Valley can be vinified and blended into a seamless integration of fresh-fruit aromas and flavors, crisp acidity and subtle oak spice. Light and graceful: that’s KARIA.

Food Pairing: Try pairing this Chardonnay with grilled chicken with lemon aioli, grilled salmon with a cucumber, tomato and fresh dill salsa or roast chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta cheese.