2004 'Silhouette' Chardonnay, Napa Valley

BLEND
100% Chardonnay

VINEYARDS
Stanly Ranch (Estate), Hyde Vineyard, Beckstoffer-Carneros Lake

APPELLATION
Napa Valley

WINEMAKING

• Double sorted and whole cluster pressed
• 100% fermented in French Oak Barrels
• 100% native yeast fermentation
• 100% malolactic fermentation
• Aged 17 months in French oak (76% new)
• Bottled unfiltered

BARREL AGING
Aged 17 months in French oak (76% new)

ALCOHOL
14.5% by volume

RELEASE DATE
October, 2007

BOTTLING DATE
August, 2007

PRODUCTION
1,100 cases

CELLARING
Enjoy now but will continue to develop for five years and hold for many years after that.

WINEMAKER'S NOTES
Silhouette is Merryvale’s limited production, top white wine and contains the best of the best Napa Valley and Carneros Chardonnay fruit. Our favorite lots are chosen for their concentration of flavor and elegance then blended and aged for 17 months in French Oak Burgundy barrels. All of the wine was fermented with native yeast, a method that accentuates the richness of the wine’s mouthfeel.

A very warm winter led to one of the earliest bud breaks on record and that trend carried on throughout the growing season. Veraison was completed early and growers had to hold on as acids caught up to well-developed sugars. Temperatures were steady into an early harvest of a normal sized crop with very good quality fruit.

Aromas of pear, lemon and vanilla bean are interwoven with crème brûlée and toasted oak. The wine has a dense, complex and luxurious mouthfeel with a finish that continues on for minutes. Silhouette will develop in the bottle for the next 5 years. Our favorite pairings include broiled lobster with drawn butter and a selection of your favorite caviar.