Winemaker Notes
Black Stallion Estate Winery Chardonnay opens with aromas of citrus, golden delicious apple, stone fruit and hints of butterscotch. The flavors are tantalizing notes of bright, juicy pear and toasted bread. This Chardonnay is medium bodied with ripe fruit flavors, balanced with a bright acidity and gives way to a long, lingering and silky finish.
Sip this wine on its own or pair alongside goat cheese, salads and dishes such as crab, lobster, grilled shrimp or roast chicken.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Ripe apples, white peaches and hints of tropical fruit, fresh nuts and cream. Full and round-textured with a rich core of fruit and vivid, supportive acidity. Lingering and warm. Drink or hold.
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.