Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
So delicious and drinkable from the first whiff to the lingering finish. An uber-chardonnay that packs in all the richness of fruit and smooth spiciness of oak fermentation, with vibrant acidity and a silky texture. Well balanced in a cool, ideal vintage and a great candidate for aging longer term.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from the highest vineyard site of the Chardonnays, planted between 1999 and 2000, the 2023 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille has a bright straw/yellow hue. The nose opens to lifted notes of white pepper, quince, poached green apples, and fresh flowers. The palate is full but nimble, with a more mid-weight feel. It’s finessed and is long on the palate, with an elegant, silky texture. Drink 2026-2040.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille has slowly opening scents of Meyer lemon, panna cotta, orange blossom, saline and well-matched, seamlessly integrated oak spice. The full-bodied palate is silky and energetic, its highly concentrated flavors foiled by taut acidity, and it has a long, layered finish.
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Vinous
The 2023 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille offers a beguiling mix of aromatics, fruit and structure. Dried pear, crushed flowers, mint, white pepper, slate and dried herbs all race across the palate. Strong mineral and graphite notes emerge with coaxing to round things out. This needs time.
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Wine Spectator
Elegant and polished, with a juicy core of Meyer lemon, white peach, freshly grated ginger, lemon verbena and neroli, plus a touch of orange sherbet. Spice, honeycomb and bergamot notes linger on the long, expressive and juicy finish. Drink now through 2039.
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.