Winemaker Notes
A portrait of dynamic balance and tension, the powerful, polished and precise 2021 Staglin Chardonnay is at once both concentrated and lithe. The gorgeous flaxen hue hints at the yellow citrus and pome fruits to come. At first flinty then floral, the opening notes of struck rock give way to delicate spring flowers and fragrant blossoming citrus furthered by fresh honeycomb spiced with nutmeg. A palate of lemon chiffon and Jonagold apple granita float over a rollick of liquified minerals and crystalline acid framed by an echo of oak. While nearly breathtaking now, this wine seems to whisper it is merely a hint of what’s to come given some time in the bottle.
Professional Ratings
-
Vinous
The 2021 Chardonnay Estate is gorgeous. Once again, the Staglin Chardonnay is such a distinctive wine. There's real textural breadth and intensity here. In this vintage, the Chardonnay is quite phenolic in feel, likely the result of yields that were down an astonishing 54%. I would prefer to cellar the 2021 for at least a year or two, as it is a very big wine. Tangerine oil, lemon confit, white flowers and a kiss of oak build into the imposing finish.
-
Wine Spectator
Shows a wonderful sense of balance, with ripe apricot, peach and mango flavors at the core, plus pretty details of honeysuckle, tarragon and apple pastry. The fresh, vibrant thread of acidity gives all of the flavors verve and focus, with a refreshing, sleek finish. Drink now. 570 cases 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.
The Rutherford sub-region of Napa Valley centers on the town of Rutherford and covers some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyard real estate, spanning from the Mayacamas in the west, to the Vaca Mountains on the other side of the valley.
Inside of the Rutherford AVA, bordering the Mayacamas, is a stretch of uplands called the Rutherford Bench. (These bench lands technically run the length of Oakville as well). Mountain runoff creates deep, well-drained, alluvial soils on the bench, giving vine roots plenty of reason to permeate deep into the ground. The result is wine with great structure and complexity.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvingons and Bordeaux Blends garner substantial attention for their enticing fragrances of dusty earth and dried herbs, broad and juicy mid-palates and lush and fine-grained tannins. The sub-appellation claims some of the valley’s most prized vineyards today, namely Caymus, Rubicon and Beckstoffer Georges III.
It is also home to Napa’s most influential and historic personalities. Thomas Rutherford, responsible for the appellation's name, made serious investments here in grape growing and wine production between the years of 1850 to 1880. Gustave Niebaum purchased a large swath of land and completed his winery in 1887, calling it “Inglenook.” Today this remains the oldest bonded winery in California. Georges Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard in 1900, making it the oldest continuous winery in the state. Latour also hired the famous enologist, André Tchelistcheff, a man credited for single-handedly defining the modern Napa winemaking style.