Cakebread 2016 Reserve Chardonnay, Napa Valley

This rare reserve Chard is coveted for good reason- It's creamy texture wrapped around luscious butterscotch, melon and pear flavors with a toasty French oak veneer. The grapes come from prime Carneros vineyards, planted with four select Chardonnay clones that flourish in the long ripening conditions of Carneros. Harvested at night by hand to insure they arrive at the winery in pristine condition, the grapes are whole cluster pressed and then barrel fermented in French oak. The wine is then aged on the lees in barrel for 14 months before bottling. Usually only available in restaurants, Wine Express has acquired a small
quantity of this cult classic.

The Wine Advocate scored this 91 points saying "The 2016 Chardonnay Reserve is all estate fruit from Carneros, with 43% coming from their vineyard on Cuttings Wharf Road. It is 100% barrel fermented using 34% new oak and aged on the lees for 15 months, with 8% native yeast fermentation and 50% malolactic fermentation. The nose bursts from the glass with bold, gregarious guava, pineapple upside-down cake and peach cobbler notions plus nuances of clover honey, almond croissant and nutmeg. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals a beautiful satiny texture and lovely freshness supporting the fantastic intensity of exotic fruit and peach preserves layers, finishing very long and spicy."