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SKU 917619
$70.68/case
$5.89/bottle
Out of stock
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I tasted the 2021 Chardonnay La Carrière as a finished tank sample the day before it was bottled. It comes from vines planted in 1994 on volcanic soils and was matured for 12 months in about 40% new French oak. It opens soft and creamy on the nose, gaining in intensity as it blossoms to scents of matchstick, saline, Meyer lemons and wafts of lemongrass. The medium-bodied palate has a satiny texture and focused acidity to support its expansive, perfumed fruit, and its classy new oak character is already well integrated. I love this juxtaposition of concentrated flavor and shimmery, energetic acidity. 2,128 cases were made. This will be released in February 2023.
Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.
Country
United States
Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.
Region
California
California as a wine producing region has grown in size and importance considerably over the past couple of centuries, and today is the proud producer of more than ninety percent of the United States' wines. Indeed, if California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world, with a vast range of vineyards covering almost half a million acres. The secret to California's success as a wine region has a lot to do with the high quality of its soils, and the fact that it has an extensive Pacific coastline which perfectly tempers the blazing sunshine it experiences all year round. The winds coming off the ocean cool the vines, and the natural valleys and mountainsides which make up most of the state's wine regions make for ideal areas in which to cultivate a variety of high quality grapes.
Appellation
Sonoma Valley
California's beautiful and remarkably fertile Sonoma Valley has grown over the decades to become one of the United States' most respected and profitable wine regions, with wineries within the region benefiting from the superb Californian sunshine, low rainfall and wonderfully rich soils. Because of this vital combination of excellent conditions, the region is able to grow a wide range of grape varietals for use in the production of an impressive array of wines, with many different red and white wine grapes flourishing each year and producing excellent and characterful results. The soils have been enriched by volcanic activity, and the presence of geothermal springs, which make this region a unique one, and very much the beating heart of California's ever growing wine industry.
WA97pts
Wine Advocate
I tasted the 2021 Chardonnay La Carrière as a finished tank sample the day before it was bottled. It comes from vines planted in 1994 on volcanic soils and was matured for 12 months in about 40% new French oak. It opens soft and creamy on the nose, gaining in intensity as it blossoms to scents of matchstick, saline, Meyer lemons and wafts of lemongrass. The medium-bodied palate has a satiny texture and focused acidity to support its expansive, perfumed fruit, and its classy new oak character is already well integrated. I love this juxtaposition of concentrated flavor and shimmery, energetic acidity. 2,128 cases were made. This will be released in February 2023.
WS95pts
Wine Spectator
Exquisite, with power and delicacy to the butterscotch pudding, marmalade and fresh peach flavors at the core. But this white is just getting started, showing lemon zest, fresh rosemary flowers and candied ginger notes that add complexity and length, plus litsea oil accents, vibrant acidity and a supple texture. Drink now through 2029.
Winery Notes
The 2021 ‘La Carrière’ shimmers a lovely, soft yellow in the glass with an inviting blend of pear, brioche and jasmine leading to notes of yellow spring flowers and honeysuckle with a hint of vanilla custard. The creamy mouthfeel is supported by lively acidity and a dense mid-palate with ample gras. Lemon curd, pastry and vanilla bean follow through to a focused, lengthy finish. The 2021 ‘La Carrière’ can be enjoyed early but will continue to expand for more than a decade.
