William Harrison Chardonnay 2014
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The William Harrison 2014 Chardonnay is sourced from fruit found deep in the cool climate of the Carneros District and farmed under the watchful hands of the Sangiacomo Family, optimizing flavor and allowing for full vineyard and site expression. Brilliant gold in color, this wine has expressive aromas of vanilla, all spice and citrus blossom. With an underlining hint of minerality, the clean and pristine palate leads with layers of Meyer lemon, lime rind, and baked apple. Hints of white peach, Asian pear and stone fruits underscore the racy acidity, leaving you with a memorable and crisp finish.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
With a pronounced sensibility of caramelized apple and toasted brioche, this wine opens with a memorable lushness and richness that finds its balance in stony minerality. The highlights of flavor lean into golden pear compote and lemon zest, with a delicate seasoning of ginger.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Attractive white peach, honeysuckle and popcorn notes, medium to full body and loads of fruit characterize the beautiful 2014 Chardonnay, which is well-made and priced fairly. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.
Other Vintages
2015-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wilfred
Wong -
Robert
Parker
Antonio Perelli-Minetti is our patriarch who immigrated from Italy in 1902 and was the first winemaker in California to hold a winemaking degree. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in California's winemaking heritage. His daughter Conchita Perelli-Minetti had a son named William (Bill) Harrison, who continues the tradition of quality winemaking, now in the Napa Valley.
Bill Harrison grew up at his grandfather's winery in the San Joaquin Valley. After earning a Bachelors degree at the University of Santa Clara, and an MBA at U.C. Berkeley, he served for two years as an Armor Officer in the First Infantry Division.
In 1966 Bill began working for the California Wine Association (CWA), a company owned by his grandfather and his grandfather's sons. There he held various wine sales and marketing positions in New York, New England, the Southwest and California.
In1978 Bill moved to the production side of the winemaking business as Operations Manager at his Grandfathers winery, A. Perelli-Minetti & Sons. This million-case winery was producing table wine, dessert wine, sparkling wine, vermouth and brandy. In the early 1980's both the California Wine Association and A. Perelli-Minetti & Sons were sold. Bill Harrison decided to start his own company based on the concept of providing wineries with a mobile bottling service. At the same time, Bill moved to the Napa Valley and founded the Rutherford estate which today is the location of our winery. Bill's company, Estate Bottling, is still providing the specialized service that many new small wineries depend on.
In 1993 after years of selling grapes from his Rutherford estate, Bill released the first wine under his own label. We now enter our 19th vintage of Wm Harrison Estate Wines, carefully crafting classic wines which we hope would make our forefathers proud.
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.