Artesa Carneros Chardonnay 2009
-
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
A brilliant straw yellow, this Chardonnay opens with heady aromas of lime, apple, apricot and pineapple, spiked with appealing hints of honeysuckle, oregano and tarragon. Its lively entry – from the wine's natural acidity -- is accompanied by layers of citrus and tropical fruit flavors. An underlying mineral component, along with the subtle influence of French oak, adds intrigue. This is a classic Carneros Chardonnay, finishing crisply and beckoning for another taste.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Artesa's dual fermentation approach, in which oak-barrel and stainless-steel-tank fermentation are used, has resulted in this startlingly appealing Chardonnay. Braced with Carneros acidity, it shows mineral-infused orange, lemon and mango flavors, with a smooht coating of toasty oak.
Other Vintages
2020-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling
-
James
Suckling
-
Wine &
Spirits -
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker
-
James
Suckling
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wilfred
Wong
-
Connoisseurs'
Guide
-
Wine &
Spirits
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator
Artesa (ahr TESS uh) means "craftsman" and connotes "handcrafted" in Catalan, language of Barcelona and their owner, Group Raventós-Codorníu –Spain's oldest winemaking family, one of the world's oldest wineries, owner of 14 wineries and exporting to over 100 countries–.
In 1991 , this family ventured to a new world: a sea-facing hillside in the Napa Valley, with rocky soils and a favorable coastal climate. Artesa's architecturally-acclaimed facility opened then, named as Codorniu Napa, and dedicated solely to méthode champenoise sparkling wine production.
The arrival of a world-class winemaker and a $10 million conversión shifted their focus dramatically in 1997. The winery reopened in 1999 with the inaugural release of ultra-premium, estate grown, artesan still wines.
While Artesa is a relative newcomer to Napa, it has received a rich heritage of five centuries of history with 15 generations of a remarkable winemaking family, which are put now at the service of their mission: crafting distinctive wines and sharing them with joy.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.