2018 Cakebread Chardonnay Napa Valley

The 2018 Chardonnay comes 95% from Carneros and 5% from Napa Valley. Barrel fermented in 33% new oak, it spent eight months on the lees, and 18% went through malolactic. It was bottled June 1, 2019. Slowly, it reveals very pretty poached pears, apple pie and apricot scents with touches of beeswax, toasted almond and lanolin. Medium-bodied, the palate has great poise and finesse, delivering a racy backbone and loads of tight-knit stone fruit flavors, finishing long and toasty.