WINEMAKER’S NOTES:
Our Napa Valley Chardonnay combines the enticing characteristics of two highly renowned appellations within the Napa Valley AVA: Oakville and Carneros. Blending fruit from the mid-valley floor with that of the cool, rolling hills of Carneros allows us to craft a Chardonnay with intensity, concentration and restraint. 2014 marks Flora Springs 36th anniversary of making Napa Valley Chardonnay, a legacy that began when our inaugural 1978 vintage was awarded a gold medal at the Orange County Fair. A few years later, James Laube selected Flora Springs as one of the “First Growth” producers of Chardonnay in his book California’s Great Chardonnays.
Fermented in stainless steel but aged in small oak barrels, our 2014 Napa Valley Chardonnay shows exuberant flavors of pineapple, Crenshaw melon and guava along with bracing notes of lemon and grapefruit. Bi-weekly lees stirring produced a round, creamy texture, yet the palate is crisp, bright and balanced. This is a full-bodied Chardonnay, finishing with hints of cinnamon, butterscotch and a tinge of toasted almonds.