Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A fresh, lively white with sliced apples, spiced pears and hints of cream. Honeysuckle. Medium to full body. Flavorful finish. Shows mineral and cream undertones with hints on nutmeg. No malolactic. Vivid. Drink now.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Chardonnay Luminus is a much smaller production effort and made in a fresher, crisper style. Lots of lemon, orange blossom, spice, and a touch of minerality emerge from the glass, and it's medium-bodied, balanced, and elegant on the palate, with plenty to love. Drink it over the coming 3-4 years.
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Wine Enthusiast
Lush and oak-driven, this has a concentrated, full-bodied foundation of apple, pear and pineapple flavors that give it flesh and weight across a lengthy palate. Secondary notes of vanilla, baking spice and creme caramel add to the richness and breadth of the wine, with underlying acidity that refreshes.
As California's longest continuously operating winery, Beringer has been defining Napa Valley winemaking since it was founded by Jacob and Frederick Beringer in 1876. By continuing that pioneering spirit, Beringer established many 'firsts' as leaders in the wine industry. They were one of the first gravity fed facilities and among the first to operate using hand dug caves and cellars. Beringer were the first to give public tours in 1934, starting a Napa Valley hospitality tradition. They are the first and only winery to have both a red and a white wine named #1 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator Magazine. Today, they proudly celebrate and remain true to their pioneering legacy.
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.
As one of Napa’s coolest sub-appellations, the area begs for diversity among its vineyards. Merlot and Chardonnay firmly compete with Cabernet Sauvignon for a place here. Some of Napa’s best Zinfandels also come from the Oak Knoll District.
Situated far in Napa’s southern end, Oak Knoll receives a strong cooling influence from both the San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Coast’s evening fog and breezes. Summer days are warm but on average ten degrees cooler than in St. Helena farther north up the valley; summer nights are chilly. A long growing season promotes for leisurely ripening of grape berries, resulting in an impressive balance of sugars, phenols and acidity.
Notable producers include Trefethen, one of the appellation’s oldest wineries, Robert Biale, legendary Zinfandel producer and Lewis Cellars, a family-run, hands-on establishment.