• French oak
• Asian pear & citrus
• Toasted almond
• Creamy mouthfeel

This is a graceful Chardonnay with generous aromas of ripe Asian pear and citrus, peach, toasted almond and honeysuckle. Medium bodied, this wine has a gentle mid-palate with a touch of creaminess and oak on the finish. There is a nice balance to the acidity and minerality that enhances the freshness and elegance of this wine.

The name KARIA (KAR-ee-ah) is derived from the Greek word meaning graceful, and the 2017 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.

KARIA comes from a tapestry of vineyards in the southern part of Napa Valley. For the 2017 offering, vineyards in the Atlas Peak District, Oak Knoll AVA (including Danika Ranch), Carneros 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 2017 vintage was a memorable one with more than its fair share of historic challenges – but it resulted in very high-quality fruit at lower yields. We started with a wet winter that brought much-needed water after several years of drought. Spring and summer temperatures alternated between unusually cool and unusually hot with a recordbreaking heat wave over Labor Day weekend. Just as harvest was reaching its final crescendo, on October 8th tragic wildfires broke out that burned throughout Napa and Sonoma counties. At Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, the Atlas Peak fire burned right down to the edge of the vineyards. Thankfully the vineyard served as a giant fire break and the winery was undamaged and our employees were safe. All the of the grapes for KARIA were harvested prior to the fire. The Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc have nice aromas and flavors.

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.