Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Lots of pear and hot-stone aromas here. White peaches, too. Full-bodied, creamy and subtle with straw, cooked-apple and mineral undertones. Creamy and refined. Drink now or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir bursts with fragrant notions of lemongrass, lime leaves and shaved ginger plus floral wafts of jasmine and honeysuckle over a core of nectarines, ripe grapefruit and spice cake. Full-bodied, rich and oh-so-spicy in the mouth, the palate is packed with tropical and stone fruits with tons of freshness and a fantastically savory finish. 1,350 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.