Stags’ Leap Winery Chardonnay

”the extended drought was beginning to cause real concern as the 2016 growing season kicked off but some welcomed winter rain hinted at the relief to come. After a relatively dry january we enjoyed signicant rainfall in february along with mild temperatures. Bud break was early but was slowed by heavy april showers. While still early by historical standards picking began about a week later than 2015 and continued at a leisurely pace allowing the grapes to reach full avor maturity. A traditionally sized harvest followed the lighter showing of 2015 and the extended season helped to balance the acidity in each varietal and added additional complexity to the layers of avors. This resulted in wines with outstanding concentration and flavor. Wine advocate – 90 points coming from oak knoll and carneros and seeing no malolactic fermentation the 2016 chardonnay opens with lovely sliced apples green guava and white peaches with nuances of clotted cream and lightly browned