Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of hawthorn, dried lemon zest and toast. Crushed gravel, too. It’s full-bodied and creamy with tangy acidity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Aged in French oak, 40% new, the 2019 Chardonnay gives up expressive notes of ripe Bosc pears, fresh yellow apples and green guava with hints of marzipan, powdered ginger and pie crust. Medium to full-bodied, the creamy-textured palate delivers a wonderfully racy line, lifting the intense apple and pears flavors, finishing long and spicy.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Stone fruits, toast, and ripe citrus notes all emerge from Merryvale’s 2019 Chardonnay Carneros, a medium-bodied, pure, elegant Chardonnay that has outstanding balance. Drink it over the coming 3-4 years.
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Wine Spectator
Honeyed pear and grilled peach flavors show notes of honeysuckle and sea salt, with a core of ripe, fleshy melon and a juicy thread of acidity. Drink now. 3,859 cases made.
Merryvale Vineyards is a family-owned Napa Valley winery dedicated to passionate winemaking and the fine art of living well. For the past 25 years Merryvale has been turning exceptional Napa Valley grapes into world class wine. Merryvale is world renowned for rich, powerful Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, the iconic Bordeaux-style red blend, Profile, and our everyday drinking, fruit driven brand, Starmont. Merryvale's historic building was the first winery built in the Napa Valley after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, and has become a must see attraction for visitors to the valley.
Merryvale is committed to protecting and preserving the environment through conservation, renewable energy and sustainable farming practices at our three estate vineyards. Merryvale has received Napa Green Vineyard, Napa Green Winery and Bay Area Green Business certifications.
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.