The Barrel Selection Chardonnay is a small bottling of the most expressive barrel lots in a given vintage.
 
Tasting Note
 
A beautifully aromatic and flavorful Chardonnay showcasing the truly exceptional fruit coming from a cooler region within Napa Valley, this 2020 vintage exhibits notes of citrus peel, lime zest, pretty Meyer lemon, fresh green apple, and white peach, supported by delicate flavors of marzipan and pear Tarte Tatin. Layered flavors are vibrant, mouthwatering, luscious, and complex, with crème de limon alongside zesty ginger spice and hints of white pepper, leading to a long refreshing finish. Well-integrated oak is interwoven seamlessly alongside the nuanced spice, all supported by a racing, zippy, backbone of acidity.
 
Vintage
The 2020 season will be remembered for factors beyond the typical harvest season. It was a warm, dry winter and the rain and cooler weather didn’t arrive until the end of March. While the mild spring season was a great early start, our winery working conditions had extensive safety protocols due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Summer brought very cool mornings and very warm days, but then harvest was interrupted by wildfires across California, which came as grapes started to be picked, and we were very fortunate that none of our vineyards were in the areas of the active fires. The white wine harvest started in late August, with the wines showing excellent development in the cellars, reflecting the fine vintage year. While the red wine harvest was smaller yielding, proving to be one of the most challenging in history, our winemakers remained optimistic and very complimentary of the high quality achieved from this unprecedented vintage. The resulting 2020 wines are of very high quality with concentrated flavors and excellent acidity, especially for varieties like Chardonnay.