Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The exquisite 2004 Chardonnay La Carriere has gained in stature since I tasted it last year. Luckily, there are about 2,250 cases of this beauty in both 2004 and 2005. Again, crushed rocks, orange marmalade, lemon blossom, white peach, and subtle wood aromas and flavors emerge from this full-bodied, fresh Chardonnay.
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Wine Spectator
A subtle, polished young wine that offers glimpses of mineral, fig, apricot and melon that are rich and soothing, finishing with a creamy texture and long aftertaste.
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.
A small and picturesque valley separating Napa Valley on its south border and Alexander Valley to its north, Knights Valley excels in similar varieties as the two aforementioned appellations, namely red Bordeaux varieties and blends, as well as Sauvignon blanc. Originally established by Beringer Vineyards, today several outstanding producers claim acreage here. The circadian cooling effects of the nearby Pacific Ocean create a nighttime respite for vineyards during the hot growing season.