2018 Estate Los Carneros Chardonnay - Cuvaison

Pineapple slice, bright honeysuckle, freshly-baked apple pie. Citrus zest, powdered cinnamon, toasted yellow peach. Lemon curd and poached pear combine to form a soft, warm, and inviting fruit core bolstered by pleasant impressions of jasmine and vanilla sheet cake. Subtle tones of brioche and fresh croissants reveal themselves behind the ripe yet balanced fruit as clove and mild barrel spice contribute to expressive aromatics. Complexity emerges in the form of white pepper and notes of silty soil and straw bale, eventually concluding in a distinct sensation of hard butterscotch candy. Although quite round and open on the nose the palate remains wonderfully crisp and tart, still packed with plenty of spunk and finishing with refreshing stony minerality. Mouth-filling yet still showing some restraint; sitting at medium plus in body with moderate acidity. This 2018 Estate Los Carneros Chardonnay by Cuvaison is a well made and unquestionably delicious Napa Valley white.

Located at the far southern edge of Napa Valley directly adjacent to the San Pablo Bay, Los Carneros is by far the coldest section of California's most illustrious grape growing region. This bottling, crafted by Cuvaison using Chardonnay sourced from their estate vineyards in Los Carneros, wonderfully encapsulates the character of this sunny yet comparatively cool stretch of the valley. In true Napa style this wine is gushing with perfectly ripe and baked fruits yet manages to present them with just the right amount of restrained opulence. It is friendly, crowd-pleasing, and inviting; featuring pretty oak in a profile that never comes off as overly flabby or buttery. This is an extremely well done entry level Chardonnay by a classic Carneros house.