Franciscan Chardonnay
| Description: | The 2008 vintage Chardonnay showcases our expressive Napa Valley fruit and small lot craftsmanship. Timehonored techniques like barrel fermentation and the use of wild yeasts result in lively, bright fruit and mineral flavors that are both in harmony and balance with subtle layers of complexity. Aging for eight months on the lees (sur lie) in small oak barrels gives further richness and depth. The 2008 vintage began with low rainfall and finished with a lower crop size and high quality. The growing season was dramatic with many spring frosts, but a very moderate summer followed, with warm days and cool nights for perfect flavor development. A 10day heat spell in early September propelled the harvest, and Chardonnay picking began September 3, about normal, and finished October 9 in the cooler Carneros vineyards. The wine is full bodied, yet elegantly structured with delicate mineral, honey, citrus and stone fruit characters from the Carneros lots, and classic pear and apple notes from the South Napa vineyards. The aromas are seamless; a benefit of fermentation and aging in oak barrels, and the mouthfeel plush and round from the wild yeast. Region Description. This tiny strip of land just north of San Francisco is home to America's most prestigious wineries. Its climate is ideal for viticulture. Ironically, it was deemed too ideal for some vintners, who have moved their vineyards from the valley's flat plain to the hills in the east and west, adhering to the idea that grapes that struggle to grow yield better wine. The climate, soil, and individual wineries are enormously varied, so it's impossible to identify a singular trait of Napa wines. In addition, nearly every noble grape is grown here, although Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the primary grapes. In the past, Napa's wines have alternated between extremely fruity and fat to lean and subtle. Today the best Napa wines have achieved a balance between these extremes. Many are made to be drunk young and have abundant ripe fruit; others can be initially hard and tannic, but soften over four or five years to perfumed, cedary fruit. White Napa wines are excellent with fresh-grilled fish and chicken, but can also cope with more spicy and creamy flavors. Many Napa reds will overwhelm delicate cuisine, but rich red meat and cheeses do make good companions. |
|---|---|
| Price: | $ 15.99 |
| Price in original currency: | None |
Available from Haskell's
| Address: |
81 South 9th Street Minneapolis, MN 55402 United States |
|---|---|
| Telephone (toll-free): | 800-486-2434 |
| Telephone (regular): | 612-342-2437 |
| Fax: | 612-342-2440 |
First added to 1000 Corks on August 9, 2016.
