Heritage Chardonnay

Description

VINTAGE

The 2021 vintage was the best in recent memory as our winegrowers enjoyed a smooth harvest following a moderate and consistent growing season. Defined by a cool start to the season that brought on slow and even ripening. Warmer days followed with few heat spikes allowing the grapes to ripen while maintaining bright, fresh, clean fruit flavors. Foggy mornings and long warm summer days set the stage for vibrant and expressive wines.

VITICULTURE

Some of the fruit used to craft this full-flavored Napa Valley Chardonnay was sourced throughout the valley including the cooler Carneros vineyard blocks, resulting in a balanced blend of ripe, rich flavors and aromas, vibrant acidity, and soft structure. These AVA’s produce fruit with a range of characteristics – juicy, bright citrus, apple, rich and ripe tropical:

• Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley: The climate is moderate to cool with marine air and fog often remaining until late morning; afternoon breezes frequently occur, maintaining slightly cooler temperatures than up-valley; Chardonnay from the Oak Knoll District has a reputation for delicacy and restraint.
• Rutherford: A warmer region, tempered by early morning fog and afternoon maritime breezes add flavors and aromas of green apple and pear.
• Los Carneros, Napa: Maritime breezes from the San Pablo Bay and Petaluma Gap keep Los Carneros cool, adding bright acidity and citrus flavors
• Stags’ Leap: Our fruit soaks up sun following morning fog at this higher mountain AVA and is cooled down in the afternoon by wind funneling from the San Pablo Bay through to Stag’s Leap District corridor providing a climate that produces fruit with the perfect balance of acid and sweetness.

WINEMAKING

Each vineyard block was picked on taste and in conjunction with grape analysis. We picked in the cool mornings and quickly transported the grapes to the winery where they were gently pressed. The juice was fermented and generally left on the primary lees for up to seven months with the barrels being stirred twice a month to increase the creamy texture of the wine. Once we felt we had a delicate balance of fruit and oak, the wine was blended.

PAIRING

Sip this wine on its own as an aperitif or pair alongside with goat cheese, salad and dishes such as crab, lobster, grilled shrimp or roast chicken.

TASTING NOTES

Black Stallion Estate Winery Chardonnay opens with aromas of yellow apple, crème brûlée and hints of apricot, pear and oak. The flavors are tantalizing notes of citrus, dried apricot, and pineapple. The Chardonnay from Los Carneros provides the bright acidity, citrus notes, and lean backbone of the wine, and the Chardonnay from the warmer growing regions contributes riper, fuller-bodied character. Vanilla aromatics from oak and floral perfume from the fruit precede ripe fruit flavors balanced with bright acidity and a rich mid-palate weight creating a multi-layered, complex wine with a lingering finish. Sip this wine on its own or pair alongside aged cheeses, fresh salad, shellfish or grilled seafood.