91 Points - Wine Enthusiast
2014 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Chardonnay
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At Duckhorn Vineyards, we have been making wine using grapes from the finest Napa Valley vineyards for over 35 years. Building on this rich history, our Napa Valley Chardonnay comes from the coolest regions. In the cellar, we applied classic techniques of French oak barrel fermentation with lees stirring, resulting in a Chardonnay that balances the complexity and richness of Napa Valley.
Wine Enthusiast
91
Wine Review Online
92
Wine Advocate
90
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 100% Chardonnay; Cooperage: 90% Barrel Fermentation, 100% French Oak, 45% New oak, 45% Second Vintage, 10% Stainless Steel
Winemaker Notes
From its aromas of Bosc pear, lemon cream, vanilla and chai to its silky entry and bright minerality, this is a vibrant and complex Chardonnay. On the palate, it strikes a beautiful balance between richness and elegance, with a lush texture and abundant flavors of white peach and Mandarin orange framed by lively acidity and hints of baked apple and elderflower.
Production
Here in Napa Valley, the 2014 growing season delivered our third exceptional vintage in a row, yielding wines with ideal concentration, elegant tannins and lovely varietal flavors. Though the 2013/2014 winter was one of the driest on record, heavy rains in February and March provided the vines much-needed moisture at just the right time. A warm spring triggered an early budbreak, and perfect weather throughout the summer allowed the grapes to achieve ideal ripeness with pure, focused flavors and resolved tannins. Harvest began on August 5th and ended on October 15th, and though it was quite compact, we were able to pick all of our grapes based solely on flavor, resulting in another fantastic vintage.
Other Notes
Released: March 2016
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2014
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Napa Valley
Harvest Date
September 6 - 18, 2014
Sugar
24.9° Brix
Acid
0.59 g/100 ml titratable acidity
pH
3.62
Aging
10 Months in Barrel
Fermentation
14-28 days fermentation at 50-65° F
Bottling Date
July 2015
Alcohol %
14.1
Wine Enthusiast
91
Wine Review Online
92
Wine Advocate
90