Beaulieu Vineyards
Beaulieu Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay
2016
About this winery
In 1900, when Georges de Latour's wife, Fernande, first laid eyes on the land that would become their original Rutherford vineyard, she named it "beau lieu," or "beautiful place." Shortly thereafter, de Latour sold his thriving cream of tartar business, bought the four-acre ranch and founded Beaulieu Vineyard with the vision of making Napa Valley wines that would rival those of his native France.
See the Beaulieu Vineyards detail page for more information on this brand
Product notes
For more than 100 years, Beaulieu Vineyard has been setting the standard for rich, classic Napa Valley wines. Our legacy honors the marriage between state-of-the-art technology and gentle, traditional winemaking methods, a combination that enhances the expression of our remarkable vineyard terroir. From Calistoga in the north to Carneros in the south, our Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Valley wines reflect this region’s diverse terroir.
Production notes
We hand harvested the Chardonnay into small bins at night and rushed them to our winery. After gently pressing the whole clusters, we barrel fermented all of the wine in small oak barrels for layers of flavor and texture complexity. Stirring the yeast during 12 months of aging enhanced the silky mouthfeel, and integrated creamy nuances from partial malolactic fermentation. A small amount of fragrant Viognier added enticing floral nuances.
Tasting notes
Bright notes of Meyer lemon and honey-crisp apple mingle with quince preserve and warm, spiced pear in our 2016 Carneros Chardonnay. Subtle nuances of honeysuckle and sweet almond are slowly revealed as you swirl the wine in your glass. On the palate, the full, beautifully balanced flavors mirror the aromas and then culminate in a crisp and creamy, lemon-custard finish.