Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay 2018 750ml

The Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay comes 95% from Carneros and 5% from Napa Valley. Barrel fermented in 33% new oak, it spent eight months on the lees, and 18% went through malolactic. It was bottled June 1, 2019. Slowly, it reveals very pretty poached pears, apple pie and apricot scents with touches of beeswax, toasted almond and lanolin. Medium-bodied, the palate has great poise and finesse, delivering a racy backbone and loads of tight-knit stone fruit flavors, finishing long and toasty.

This Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay wine opens with aromas of ripe golden apple, white peach, and notes of oak. On the palate, apple and pear characters are balanced by fresh acidity, and the finish is clean, with appealing mineral notes. This is a versatile food-pairing wine—we love it with fresh salads, grilled scallops, and nearly any selection of cheeses.

Bright, creamy, golden apple, white peach, pear and melon aromas, with hints of mineral, yeast and oak spice, introduce rich, full-bodied, apple, pear and melon flavors that persist throughout a lingering finish refreshed by vibrant citrus and mineral tones.

With a round, supple texture, superb concentration, great depth, and balanced acidity, the Napa Valley Chardonnay is a treat upon release but develops even greater complexity and appeal with 5-7 years’ aging. Delicious with chicken, shellfish, seafood and grilled salads.

Another good white is the 2018 Chardonnay, which offers a classy bouquet of honeyed apples and citrus to go with a medium-bodied, nicely textured, balanced style on the palate.

Medium-bodied, the palate has great poise and finesse, delivering a racy backbone and loads of tight-knit stone fruit flavors, finishing long and toasty.