Stag's Leap Karia Chardonnay 2022

Aromas of toast and butter are greeted by flavors of sweet lemon, ripe pineapple and a finish of warming spices. This generous and energetic Chardonnay coats the palate through a persistent finish.

Graceful yet full-bodied, this lightly oaked wine gains more complexity with each sip. Aromas of pear syrup, almonds and light butter lead to nicely concentrated pears, golden apples and subtle oak spices.

**Wine Spectators' #8 Top Value Wine of 2021** Many leading producers of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon also make Chardonnay, and one of the best of the pack comes from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Winemaker Marcus Notaro blends fruit from vineyards in southern Napa Valley to make this voluptuously juicy-tasting version that stays fresh with rich acidity. It’s been his goal over the past few years with Karia (the ancient Greek word for “graceful”) to align the winemaking more tightly to the vineyard. From Oak Knoll and Atlas Peak, where he thinks the Chardonnay fruit is richer, Notaro taps more new wood for barrel-fermenting and aging. With fruit from the cooler Coombsville and Carneros appellations, he doesn’t use malolactic fermentation, thus preserving the natural acidity that malo softens. Notaro also relies on more native yeast for the fermentations to add complexity. He then balances the lots together, accentuating the best characteristics of each in the final blend. (KM)

The 2019 Chardonnay Karia sings of fresh pineapple, Bosc pears and spice cake, with hints of candied ginger, beeswax and cashews. Medium to full-bodied, intense and spicy in the mouth, it has an alluring satiny texture and a nutty finish.