Willowbrook Napa Valley Chardonnay 2018
Category | White Wine |
Varietal | |
Brand | Willowbrook |
Origin | California, Napa Valley |
Alcohol/vol | 14.3% |
At Willowbrook, winemaker Joe Otos takes great care in ensuring that his Chardonnay echoes the traits of the Napa Valley, where the region's Mediterranean climate and geology have consistently produced such quality wines that the tiny growing region has been able to enjoy an unparalleled reputation. This chard comes from a vineyard in the southern part of Napa Valley, bordering the Carneros. Marine influences help moderate the summer daytime temperatures, providing a cooler and longer growing season than elsewhere in the valley, preserving fruit profiles and acidity while attaining full ripeness. The grapes are 100% clone 96, picked at 24.2 Brix and whole-cluster pressed.
The Chardonnay is filled with delicious notes of red apple, followed by a hint of melon. When it first hits the palate, you'll notice lively acidity that's combined with flavors of peach and lemon meringue, complemented by a touch of gingerbread. Need we say more? But it continues with a finish of crisp, clean minerality, which is perfectly balanced by the oak that you know and love. Rich and oaky, but lively and food-friendly at the same time.
Enjoying a Chardonnay from the famous Napa Valley can always be done without a food-partner, but this beauty pairs naturally with a white fish in a buttery sauce or a late summer harvest vegetable mix. You really can't go wrong.
100 % Chardonnay.
93 points - just wine