92 Wine Enthusiast

"What a pretty Chardonnay. Complex and intricate, it has detailed pineapple, golden mango and pear flavors that suggest very ripe growing conditions. Yet it's dry and balanced in the finish, not jammy. Don't drink this beauty too cold." 92 points - Wine Enthusiast

WINE:
"Flora Springs Barrel Fermented Chardonnay is Napa Valley history in a bottle. In 1980, at a time when Chardonnay was the true ambassador for wines from the New World, Flora Springs began its reign as one of the great Chardonnay producers from Napa Valley. Disregarding trends, Flora Springs continues to craft its Barrel Fermented Chardonnay in a style that has inspired white wine producers and created loyal Chardonnay connoisseurs for the last 30 years. The 2009 vintage offers rich flavors of peach and pear with a hint of pineapple on the palate. In each vintage, we strive to find a balance between the rich flavors of our St. Helena and Oakville Chardonnay and the acidity and minerality of our Carneros fruit. For 2009 we further enhanced the wine by allowing 21% of the blend to go through malolactic fermentation. You wouldn’t believe the excitement in the cellar when we passed the final blend around the table—tropical fruit, richness, complexity, spandex?—it’s 1980 all over again!" -Winery

VITICULTURE:
"The long running success of our Barrel Fermented Chardonnay is dependent on four of our select, sustainably farmed vineyards: Lavender Hill and Sunset Knoll in Carneros, Crossroads Ranch in Oakville, and Patrick & Julia in St. Helena. Located near Conn Creek and the Napa River, the Crossroads Ranch vineyard presents a nearly perfect climate for Chardonnay with afternoon breezes and cool morning fog playing ideal bookends to the long warm days of summer. Grapes sourced from here provide winemaker Paul Steinauer with the perfect building blocks to create our Barrel Fermented Chardonnay. He adds sweet fruit flavors from our Patrick & Julia vineyard and the structured bright acidity from our Lavender Hill and Sunset Knoll vineyards to create a supple Chardonnay with complexity and elegance." -Winery

WINERY:
"Located at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains in the far Northwest corner of the Rutherford appellation, the Flora Springs estate is in the heart of the Napa Valley. Founded in 1978, Flora Springs has been a family affair for over three decades. As both artisan winemakers and growers, the family is committed to the traditions of fine winemaking and responsible stewardship of its 650 acres of vineyard land for future generations to savor and uphold. " -Winery