The Silenus 2018 Chardonnay is grown in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley and comes from two distinct vineyards. The Red Hen Vineyard near the winery consistently produces complex and lush wines and Steve Matthiasson’s Linda Vista vineyard adds some bright lemon and green apple fruit notes to compliment the blend. Both vineyards fully showcase the unique Oak Knoll terroir of cool morning fog and mild mid-day temperatures which allow for the longest hang-time and flavor development in the Napa Valley.
The grapes were harvested at the peak of ripeness and gently whole-cluster pressed. After settling for two days, the juice was moved to French oak barrels, 30% new, for fermentation. The wine was aged “sur lie” or on the lees for a full 10 months to build complexity and mouth-feel. The barrel aging provided an elegant layer of oak flavor underlying the vibrant fruit flavors. The resulting wine has a fresh, bright fruit profile with a pleasant, rich viscosity.
Tasting Notes:
The wine is a beautiful golden straw color with aromas of fresh, green apples, peach, citrus and toasted vanilla. A creamy mouth-feel is highlighted by bright citrus, green apple, pear and lime with just a touch of passion fruit and vanilla. The finish is elegant and dry with persistent pear and oak flavors.
BLEND:
100% Chardonnay from Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
- 71% from the Red Hen Vineyard
- 29% from Matthiasson’s Linda Vista Vineyard
SPEC:
Harvest date: September 14, 2018
Bottling date: July 15, 2019
Bottle size: 750 mL
Titratable Acidity: 5.58 g/L
pH: 3.53
Residual sugar: .3 g/L
Alcohol: 13%
AWARDS:
2020 Wine Enthusiast – 91 Points
Decanter – 91 Points
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