Chardonnay 2022

Far Niente Chardonnay is a blend of Napa Valley vineyards located in Coombsville , a cooler nestled in the rolling countryside and protected by the hills east of the city of Napa. These vineyards are unique thanks to their hot and dry climate in summer as well as the nature of the soils, whose gravelly and volcanic silts guarantee deep roots as well as excellent drainage. These conditions provide the wine with: subtlety, complexity and aromatic richness. The grapes were harvested and sorted by hand to ensure the best quality. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. It will then be transferred from French oak barrels to complete fermentation in the cellars and old stone cellars. The wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation and was aged for 10 months in oak barrels (50% new, 50% used once) on fine lees to give it more depth, complexity and texture. This wine is expressed around aromas of white fig , melon , honeysuckle , citrus , honey , nectarine , lemon zest , roasted hazelnuts and spices . The minerality and acidity enhance and support the generous palate and the graceful finish. This wine will continue to gain in richness over the years.

In the United States, 90% of the wine produced comes from California. It was the influx of gold prospectors to California that boosted the California wine industry in the mid-19th century, particularly in the Sonoma and Napa region. At the start of the 20th century, there were 800 wineries. From 1919 to 1933 Prohibition destroyed the vast majority of the California wine industry so that by 1933, only 140 wineries remained producing wine. It was only from 1960 that the wine industry began to recover from Prohibition and California was primarily known for the production of fortified wines (in the style of Port). It was also in the 1960s that some of the most famous estates were created (Mondavi, Heitz Wine Cellars, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, etc...). In 1976, a significant event took place: the legendary tasting competition better known as the "Judgment of Paris". He sees the greatest French wines opposing the new American wines. This May 24, an unexpected result shakes the world of wine, since to everyone's surprise, it is the United States which wins. However, this competition remains relatively unknown to the general public. Today, there is no doubt that the United States produces great wines. Even though California largely monopolizes the reputation of American wines with its excellent Zinfandels, the state of Oregon produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the world and the state of Washington offers excellent Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon.