Chappellet Grower Collection El Novillero Vineyard Chardonnay 2018
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Wilfred
Wong -
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Jeb
Dunnuck
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Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Chappellet Grower's Collection El Novillero Vineyard Chardonnay opens with aromas of ripe citrus, tropical fruit, and flowers. A lush and rich palate, full of oak spice and ripe fruits. An excellent expression of Carneros Chardonnay.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Chappellet Grower Collection Novillero Vineyard Chardonnay brings power and richness to the fore. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits generous and persistent aromas and flavors of savory spices, ripe fruit, and an accent of oak. Pair it with shellfish in full-flavored cream sauces. (Tasted: April 21, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
Rich, layered and salty, this classic white is rounded and juicy in apple, pear and a lovely concentration of crème brûlée. Made from one block planted by the Sangiacomo family to Robert Young clone in 1993, it retains a structure of grace and high-toned acidity that balances the overall lushness and length
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming all from the cooler Carneros region of Napa, the 2018 Chardonnay El Novillero went completely through malolactic fermentation and was aged in 38% new French oak. Spiced orchard fruits, lemon curd, white flowers, and a touch of salty minerality all define the bouquet of this medium-bodied white, which has a wonderful purity to it, good balance, and integrated acidity.
Other Vintages
2020-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine &
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Jeb
Dunnuck
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
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Jeb
Dunnuck
The Chappellets' romance with Pritchard Hill began when Donn and Molly Chappellet first glimpsed the mountain's spectacular vistas in the late 1960s. Inspired by the notion that Bacchus loves the hills, Donn and Molly followed the advice of legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff and settled on the rocky eastern slopes of the Napa Valley. There, on the mountain’s serene and picturesque hillsides, the Chappellets established their home and winery, raising their children and cultivating the vineyards.
Since being founded by Donn and Molly in 1967, Chappellet has earned acclaim championing the robust power and complexity of wines crafted from mountain grapes. At the same time, Chappellet has helped to establish Pritchard Hill as one of California’s most revered winegrowing sites. To honor the mountain's rich, expressive character, the winemaking team focuses on creating extraordinary, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignons that embody the intensity and finesse of fruit from Pritchard Hill.
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.