Mayacamas Chardonnay 2018

Cellar for up to 12 years. Serve chilled.

Mayacamas is recognised as one of Napa’s leading wineries thanks to its exceptional mountain terroir and inspired winemaking by the legendary Andy Erickson. The historic winery was originally founded back in 1889 by German emigrant and pickle merchant JH Fisher. More recently it has enjoyed a renaissance under the Schottenstein family who brought in Erickson and invested in significant improvements to the property.

Chardonnay was first planted at Mayacamas in the 1940s, and this bottling is made primarily from 46-year old dry-farmed vines planted on the rocky volcanic soils high up on Mount Veeder. The tough conditions here help to grow intensely-flavoured, concentrated fruit which retains plenty of aromatics and freshness thanks to the cooler nights.

Once in the winery the fruit is sorted by hand and the pressed juice fermented and aged in a mixture of barrels, puncheons and foudres. Mayacamas is famous for its use of neutral oak, even for Chardonnay, with this wine aged for 12 months in oak before bottling. The result is a vibrant yet powerful Chardonnay that’s bursting with acacia blossom, marzipan, apples and green pear notes. On the palate there’s a rich, creamy texture balanced by a mouthwatering finish and solid core of orchard fruit. Overall it’s a magnificent white to serve alongside roast chicken, creamy salmon dishes, or risottos, although it can also be cellared for a while longer.