Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a dense and layered white with a broad palate. It’s full and rich, yet fresh and yummy. Lovely cooked apple, vanilla and praline at the finish. Aniseed aftertaste.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Mon Plaisir is sourced from 20+-year-old Montrachet and Old Wente clone selection vines on a full sun exposure slope. A tank sample due to be bottled within the next couple of days, the 2019 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir comes barreling out of the glass with bold scents of ripe grapefruit, apricots and green guava plus hints of marzipan, baking bread and nutmeg. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of wonderfully pure tropical and stone fruit flavors, supported by a silken texture and seamless line of freshness, finishing with a lingering spicy kick.
Barrel Sample: 96-97 -
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir from Knights Valley reveals a medium gold hue as well as beautiful golden delicious apple, white flowers, toasted bread, and almond paste-like nuances. It’s medium to full-bodied and has a layered, textured mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity, and straight-up stunning length on the finish. It builds nicely with time in the glass and, if anything, was even better on the second day, so don't be afraid to give this some air. It will evolve for at least 8-10 years.
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Wine Spectator
A chiseled style, with powerful, well-structured flavors of fresh-cut apple, dried pear and lemon tart that are supported by fresh acidity. The rich and minerally finish is well-spiced.
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.