Pale gold color; golden apple, mango, pear, honeydew melon, peach, lemon-lime citrus, oak spice, butter, vanilla on the nose and palate.
Dry; no tannins, gentle acidity (3.48 pH). Medium body, satiny texture. Rich, fruit forward. Persistent finish with butterscotch notes. Elegant and refined instead of an oak monster butterbomb; thank goodness that is a powerful trend in Napa today. Stag’s Leap largely has been getting wine right for more than 50 years. 14.5% ABV
The KARIA name derives from the Greek word for “graceful,” which is the Stag’s Leap goal with this wine. Grapes come collection of vineyards in the southern part of Napa Valley—43% from Atlas Peak District, 32% from Carneros, 14% Coomsville, 11% Oak Knoll. Grapes picked in the morning cool, then whole cluster pressed to preserve freshness. Light use of oak and malolactic fermentation/conversion. Wine macerated nine months on fine lees in combination of new and old French oak barriques—35% new, 61% used; small fraction in stainless steel (4%).
The vintage offered challenges—drought, hail and heavy rain that reduced some yields, a mild late frost. Spring was a mix cool, warm, and hot days. Average temperatures and ideal growing conditions did not come until mid-July. A harvest heat wave offered a final challenge. The result is riper flavors and softer acidity.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars began in 1970 with the purchase of the S.L.V. vineyard. Six years later it made history with the top-ranked cabernet sauvignon at the famed “Judgment of Paris.” Today, the website notes: “The vineyard team, led by Guillermo Perez, ensures that the vineyards live in harmony with the natural environment surrounding them; they promote a healthy ecosystem in which the vineyards and local flora and fauna thrive. Head winemaker Marcus Notaro and his team produce inimitable Stags Leap District and Napa Valley wines of classic beauty from the attentively and meticulously farmed vines.” Jorge Ramirez Perez and Luis Contreras are the winemakers; Guillermo Perez is the senior vineyard manager.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars KARIA Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2022 is graceful, fruit forward with some depth and complexity from nine months on the lees and restrained use of oak and malolactic fermentation/conversion. Nice Napa chard from historic maker. Pair with grilled chicken, roast chicken breasts stuffed with spinach and feta cheese; herb-roasted turkey. Grilled salmon, halibut; lighter fish; lobster or shrimp with garlic butter sauce; seared scallops; crab cakes. Fettuccine Alfredo; lemon and herb risotto; butternut squash ravioli. Garden salads; Caesar salad. Cheese—camembert, brie, provolone, medium-aged cheddar, aged comté, aged gruyère. $36-50
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars website
