Full Review

Adastra

Adastra
2019 Chardonnay, Carneros, Napa Valley

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Shellfish Turkey

Category: Chardonnay

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.7% RS: .2%
Organically Grown Grapes
93 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$45

Adastra
2019 Chardonnay, Carneros, Napa Valley

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Shellfish Turkey

Category: Chardonnay

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.7% RS: .2%
Golden straw color. Aromas and flavors of buttered brioche, coconut butter and vanilla cream, brown butter poached pear and baking spices, and lemon with a round, crisp, dryish medium-to-full body and a warming, stimulating, medium-length finish with notes of vanilla and lemon nougat, yellow apple, roasted almond and chestnut, and nutmeg with moderate oak flavor. Rich, vibrant, and slightly sweet oak aromas and flavors, but incredibly well-executed and exactly what consumers desire from this style.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: New World
Aroma Aroma: buttered brioche, coconut butter and vanilla cream, brown butter poached pear and baking spices, and lemon
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with notes of vanilla and lemon nougat, yellow apple, roasted almond and chestnut, and nutmeg
Sweetness Sweetness: Dryish
Enjoy Enjoy: Now Enjoy on its own
Recipes Pairing: Turkey, Roasted Chicken, Boiled Lobster
Bottom Line Bottom Line: Rich, vibrant, and slightly sweet oak aromas and flavors, but incredibly well-executed and exactly what consumers desire from this style.

The Producer

Adastra Wines

The Producer
2545 Las Amigas Rd
Napa, CA 94559
USA
1 707-255-4818

Chardonnay

Wine Glass White.jpg
Serve in a White Wine Glass
Chardonnay is arguably the world’s most famous white variety, thanks to its success in France’s Burgundy region as well as throughout much of California. Chardonnay on its own has rather straightforward, pleasant aromas of apple and pear, but when aged (and sometimes fermented) in small oak barrels, the wines take on extra richness as well as notes of toasted almond, vanilla and yeast.

The most renowned examples of Chardonnay are from small villages and vineyards in Burgundy, such as Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. These wines are very powerful with ample spicy notes and very good acidity; they age very well, sometimes as long as 20-25 years. Another part of Burgundy, Chablis, is home to more restrained style of Chardonnay. Certain areas of California, especially Russian River Valley in Sonoma and Santa Barbara County are also home to many distinguished examples of Chardonnay, with those from the latter region often displaying tropical fruit flavors.

Given that most Chardonnnays are aged in small oak barrels, there has been a movement as of late to give consumers a mored delicate style of Chardonnay, without all the spicy and toasty flavors. Thus there are now many producers that produce non-oak aged Chardonnays; this has been seen from many producers from Australia as well as a few in California as well.

Chardonnay, especially oak-aged versions, are quite rich and need seafood of equal richness at the dinner table. Thus lobster, halibut and swordfish are ideal food pairings.