Stag's Leap Wine Cellars : Karia Chardonnay 2022

Characteristics and tasting tips for Karia Chardonnay 2022 from Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Tasting

Nose
The nose exudes fragrances of ripe mango, honey melon, peach, lime tart, apples and also delicate floral notes.

Palate
A lively attack precedes a palate whose fruity and spicy aromas stretch to a finish with delicious notes of citrus and melon.

Food and wine pairings

Grilled chicken with lemon aioli, grilled salmon accompanied by a cucumber salsa, tomatoes garnished with fresh dill, or even a roast chicken breast stuffed with spinach are refined pairings with this Californian white wine.

A fresh and beautifully complex Californian white wine

The property

Founded in 1970, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars has become a reference among the great wines of Napa Valley over the vintages. Pioneers, the founders of the estate replant a plot then in orchard with vines including a majority of cabernet sauvignon, a grape variety then very little used locally. This is the beginning of an unparalleled revolution marking the history of American wines.

A few years later, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars won, blind, the contest for the best cabernet sauvignon at the famous "Judgement of Paris" in 1976, ahead of prestigious French wines. The legend of the estate is created.

Since 2007, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is under the joint direction of the American estate Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and the Antinori family.

The wine

This Napa Valley wine gets its uniqueness from its denomination derived from the Greek word meaning "graceful". Indeed, the KARIA cuvée (pronounced Kar-ee-ah) is made from vineyards located in the cool climates of southern Napa Valley, giving birth to wines that are lively, fresh and supported by a delicate note of oak spices and ripe fruit.

The vintage

Starting with heavy rainfall in October, the winter is then dry punctuated by a hailstorm and late frost reducing yields. Relatively mild, the spring precedes a particularly hot summer. Despite these extreme conditions, the quality is exceptional.

Vinification and ageing

Harvesting early in the morning to preserve the freshness of the fruit. Fermentation in barrels (96%) and stainless steel tanks (4%). Malolactic fermentation (32%) before ageing for 9 months in barrels (of which 35% are new) 4% in stainless steel tanks.

Grape variety

Chardonnay (100%).