The 2018 PlumpJack Chardonnay is packed with the fresh aromas of Meyer lemon, pomelo, green pear, honeysuckle, and orange blossom with a touch of toast and apple cinnamon. The palate is creamy, silky, and bright, giving the
sensations of great weight and vibrant freshness.
Our Chardonnay grapes are sourced from two vineyards in the Napa Valley one in Los Carneros and the other in St. Helena. At just 30 miles apart, Los Carneros can be 10 -15 degrees cooler than St Helena. Due to this difference in
temperature along with other differences, such as soil type, these two vineyard sites vary greatly in character and expression but add layers and layers of flavor to
the nose and palate.
The 2016 vintage has layers of aromatics ranging from black cherry, plum, and raspberry to graham cracker, vanilla, butterscotch, and sweet hickory smoke. These flavors extend to the palate, which has a rich and silky entry with bright acidity and firm structure, resulting in great tension, balance, and persistence on the finish.
The 2016 vintage has great complexity and character. This wine has savory aromas of white and black pepper, dried meats, and grilled mushroom along with the sweet aromas of blueberry, plum, and huckleberry pie. The palate is rich and dense with firm tannin, bright acidity, and a lasting finish. Like the nose, the flavors here are sweet and savory with blueberry, plum, au jus, white pepper, and grilled meats. The whole-cluster fermentation adds even more complexity with some green peppercorn and spice on the nose and a little bite in the finish. The oak imparts smokiness to the nose and bittersweet chocolate to the finish.
The warm growing season gave this wine its rich and dark character. The nose is filled with black cherry, blackberry, cassis, and fig, which is perfectly complimented by the classic PlumpJack sage and mint. The palate is silky upon entry and opens up to juicy blackberry and black cherry. The balanced acid and well-integrated tannin give this wine energy and length and leads to a beautiful raspberry and spice finish.
95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
The seductive and alluring 2016 PlumpJack Estate Cabernet Sauvignon immediately draws you in with fruit aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and black cherry. Savory spice aromas of sage, clove, and nutmeg compliment the fruit and bring depth and complexity. These flavors carry over to the palate, which has a rich, creamy texture balanced by a crisp, fresh acid. The tannin is bold yet seamless and silky, while the persistent finish gives the impression of blackberries dusted with baker's chocolate.
The wines of PlumpJack represent their world-class vineyard origins with full-bodied, elegant expression and an approachable style. Winemaker Aaron Miller selects the finest fruit from our 42-acre estate in Oakville, a site that runs from the rocky foothills of the Vaca mountain range to the deep clay soils of Napa River’s alluvial plain on the valley floor. We currently produce Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Chardonnay, Napa Valley Syrah and Napa Valley Merlot.