Mystery Napa Valley Chardonnay 2018 (California)

Description

• French oak
• Lemon crème
• Salted butter
• Mouth-watering

"An abundance of ripe stone and tropical fruit on the nose. It's full-bodied with aromas and flavors of mango, yellow peach, salted butter, and powdered praline. Lightly smoky with a crisp finish" James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com, Jan 2021

"For the Napa Valley Chardonnay, it is the unified voices of both the fruit and the oak that allow the terroir to speak" Geneviéve Janssesns, Chief Winemaker

Flavors of sun-ripened pineapple and lemon crème are layered by guava, Asian pear, and zesty grapefruit, all integrated with a toasty complexity in this mouthwatering yet richly textured Chardonnay.

This classic Napa Valley wine brings together the best AVAs for Chardonnay. Most of the fruit is from the cooler southern end of Napa Valley where bay fog and breezes allow the grapes to ripen at a gradual, flavor-building pace while retaining fresh, natural acidity. A small percentage is from the cool, ocean-influenced Russian River Valley, adding diverse texture and flavors. And fruit from other prized sites in Napa Valley add to the complexity of the final wine.

Early spring rains filled reservoirs and gave the vines ample water for the growing season. While bud break and flowering were a bit late, the season began under ideal weather conditions, creating excellent fruit set. Sunshine throughout the summer was tempered by the region’s cool breezes and fog, which ensured slow, even ripening for the perfect balance between freshness and flavor development. Our selected grapes were picked between September 13 and October 12.

The grapes were hand-harvested in the cool of the morning and gently pressed as whole clusters to conserve the vibrant, fruity flavors. All of the juice was fermented in French oak barrels (16% new). Partial malolactic fermentation balanced the lively acidity and added complexity. The wine was aged on its yeast lees (sûr lie) and was hand-stirred regularly (bâtonnage) throughout nine months of aging for seamless integration of flavors and a rich, creamy finish. The wine was
bottled in August 2019.

Food Pairing: Pairs well with chicken pot pie and grilled cheese sandwich.