Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a big and dense La Carriere with cooked-pear and apple character, as well as hints of lemon rind and creme brulee. Full-bodied, layered and very flavorful. Rich yet energetic.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Chardonnay la Carriere opens with a seriously intense nose of ripe peaches, lemon curd and grapefruit peel with hints of nutmeg, acacia honey, orange blossoms and buttered toast. Medium-bodied, very fine, fresh and elegant, it has a lively backbone lifting the citrus and savory flavors, finishing long and minerally. 1,946 cases were made.
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.