3 | Wine | New Arrivals, Napa Valley

"This graceful Chardonnay opens with aromas of fresh-cut Honey Crisp apple, citrus, toasted vanilla bean and hints of poached Comice pear and lilac. The wine has a full entry with flavors of ripe apple and delicate oak notes. There is a nice balance to the acidity and minerality that enhances the freshness and elegance of this wine. The long finish is reminiscent of Nilla wafers with banana cream pudding."

"Montelena’s 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate wraps around the palate with serious depth. Even with all of its intensity, the 2009 has a silkiness that makes it incredibly delicious at this early stage. Red berries, flowers, tobacco and sweet herbs all flesh out on the generous, radiant finish. While many 2009s are a bit tight today, Montelena’s 2009 Estate is showing very nicely, although it is keeping some cards close to the vest. I imagine the 2009 will start to enter its prime drinking window around age 8-10 and drink well for at least another decade beyond that."

"The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon flows from the glass with plums, black cherries, graphite, grilled herbs and smoke. This fleshy, up-front Cabernet Sauvignon shows fabulous overall balance and harmony in a style best enjoyed over the next decade or so."

"Intense aromas of raspberry and plum with a hint of dried cherries. Exceptional mouthfeel, with concentrated flavors of red fruit. Plush tannins confer the wine a rich finish; with a hint of cocoa, caramel, and dry currants."

"Aromatics are the order of the day for our Napa chardonnay, which speaks loudly of our cool climate, marine-influenced vineyard. Oaks take a lesser role in recent vintages, and we celebrate the fresh, crisp style that complements many foods by allowing less than a quarter of the wine to undergo malolactic fermentation. Bright fruits boasting of pear and green apple are accented with a bit of citrus zest and honeybell, balanced with a creamy brioche and touch of vanilla. We age the wine in mostly neutral French oak to enhance mouthfeel. This is the new face of California chardonnay, a wine to enjoy as an apéritif or as a worthy complement to wonderful presentations of your favorite dishes."

"As with the prior vintage, 2011 Signature Chardonnay was shaped by a cool, slow-ripening season and displays intricate aromatics and rich, persistent flavors. A tempting bouquet mingles lemon blossom and jasmine with citrus, then unfolds intriguing notes of nutmeg and quince. Generous flavors of lemon custard, pears and apples are wrapped in a creamy mouthfeel, while a streak of stony minerality gives the wine zest and complexity. The oak is exceptionally well-integrated, offering spicy qualities that linger on the finish."

"Lush and dark fruits of blackberry, berry pie, black cherry, white pepper, peppermint, molasses, Oreo cookie, turmeric, vanilla, clove and nutmeg. A mouthwetting snap of acidity balances the round and ripe fruit, and the thin-skinned Zinfandel tannins propel the wine into an elegant and impressive big Pinot Noir style."

"This cabernet is drinking beautifully now and will age gracefully for many years. The aroma is bursting with ripe cassis, blackberry, plum and a hint of lavender. This intense ripe fruit is complemented by subtle hints of clove, anise and sweet toasty vanilla. The palate is rich and round with silky tannins that envelope an intense core of fruit that carries through to an incredibly long finish."

"A medium ruby color and aromas of dark cherries, briary strawberry and subtle hints of vanilla and lavender give way to a lush, silky palate with more bright fruit, cedar, and toast. This wine also has a great acid/tannin balance that should allow for great aging potential in the years to come. Enjoy!"