2013 Flora Springs Napa Chardonnay

Winemaker Notes:

   2013 marks Flora Springs 36th anniversary of making Napa Valley Chardonnay. Our legacy began when our inaugural 1978 vintage was awarded a gold medal at the Orange County Fair. A few years later, James Laube selected Flora Springs as one of the "First Growth" producers of Chardonnay in his book California's Great Chardonnays. Chardonnay continues to be one of our favorite varietals, and one of our most popular.

   Our 2013 vintage shows rich aromas of juicy green pear and candied ginger with a hint of crème fraiche and vanilla bean. The palate is bright and crisp, bursting with juicy Granny Smith apples and lemongrass. An underlying creaminess - reminiscent of fresh baked brioche - adds warmth to this crisp, refreshing Chardonnay, which finishes with spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg.

All the Facts

Appellation: Napa Valley

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay

Cases Produced: 9,406

Aging:  8 months in 15% oak barrels, 22% oak ovals, 63% stainless steel tanks

On the Vine:

    In Napa Valley the 2013 growing season was near perfect, with long, sunny days, cool evenings, and no heat spikes or rain events to speak of. The daytime temperatures, averaging over 85°, coupled with the cool evenings made for ideal growing conditions and a vintage for the record books.

Our Napa Valley Chardonnay combines the enticing characteristics of three highly renowned sub-appellations within Napa Valley: Oakville, Carneros, and St. Helena. Blending fruit from the warmer appellations on the valley floor and the cool, rolling hills of Carneros allows us to craft a Chardonnay with great intensity and restraint. This bottling balances shimmering bright acidity with the full-bodied, concentrated fruit flavors found in grapes sourced from our sustainably farmed vineyards.