The wine captivates with aromas of orange blossom and lime zest. Smiles will be invoked with the lush and tropical palate with highlights of golden delicious apple and dried apricots. Fresh and flavorful, the wine is fermented in stainless steel to preserve its singular varietal character.
THE VINTAGE The spring was warm and dry, getting the vines off to an early start. The weather stayed warm throughout the summer but was free of damaging heat spells. September brought a classic Napa Valley autumn with warm days and very cool nights. With the consistent warmth, the harvest began about two weeks early and we had a very busy September. The beautiful growing season resulted in truly exceptional wines—full of ripe flavors, developed in the sunshine, and balanced by natural acidity from the cool nights. THE WINE Aromas of jasmine, orange blossom and lime lead to rich tropical and floral notes on the palate. The wine has delightful acidity and minerality and ends with flavors of ruby red grapefruit and peaches. FOOD AFFINITIES Shellfish, sushi, crab cakes, seared Ahi tuna, lemon chicken, grilled chicken-apple sausages and a broad assortment of Asian, southwestern and Caribbean dishes (especially green curries) are just a few of the delicious matches for this wonderfully versatile food wine. Don’t forget to sip some while you cook!
Our 38th vintage of Napa Valley Chardonnay is a classic Trefethen Chardonnay which highlights tropical and floral aromas with a hint of almond. This Chardonnay has a soft mouthfeel balanced with acidity and a stony minerality which makes this a very food-friendly wine. Flavors of apple pie and citrus, especially that of lemon zest, fill the palate of this rich and balanced Chardonnay.
2011 got off to a late start with a cool and wet spring. A surprise rain in our typically dry June was followed by a more seasonable, but cooler summer. We were delighted by a very warm and dry September. October was a roller-coaster with some rains early on and then, thankfully it was dry and warm. Being 100% estate grown, we opted to drop fruit affected by the colder weather and produce our wines from only the remaining ripe and well-balanced grapes. Thus, our yields were considerably smaller and the grapes rich in flavor.