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90POINTS
16½/20
Stags' Leap Chardonnay 2021
Napa Valley, California, United StatesThe Stags Leap Napa chardonnay comes from the cooler southern appellations within Napa Valley, where fog from the San Pablo Bay helps to cool the vineyards throughout the morning and late day, helping to preserve freshness and acidity. The majority of the fruit comes from the Carneros AVA, bringing the citrus, mineral, and ripe red apple notes. A small amount of tropical/orchard stone fruit comes from the Oak Knoll AVA. All of the fruit is whole-cluster-pressed. Twenty-five percent is fermented in stainless steel and remains in tank until the final blend is assembled, twenty-five percent of the wine is fermented and aged in new French oak barrels, and the remaining fifty percent in seasoned French oak. 2020, as usual, did not undergo a malolactic fermentation again, preserving freshness and acid. It is bottled after seven months of ageing, including weekly batonnage or stirring of the lees. The style is California round pitching Meyer lemons peachy melon fruit, with vanilla and Tarte Tatin notes throughout.Tasted: 04 June 2023Tasted by: Anthony GismondiPrices:| BC | $36.99 | 750ml | Vancouver International Wine Festival |
| SK | $38.99 | 750ml | select private retailers; monopolies |
| MB | $45.95 | 750ml | select private retailers |
Grape: ChardonnayCSPC: 476440UPC: 089819043019
