2016 Silhouette
Varietals
100% Chardonnay
Appellation
Napa Valley
Alcohol
14.5% by volume
Flavor Profile
Silhouette is a captivating wine and an exciting project for our Winemaker Simon Faury and his team. The outstanding quality of the fruit allows for long native fermentations where we carefully monitor its progress. We are striving for the best expression of Chardonnay; an exercise of balance with one goal in mind: finesse, refinement and complexity. Our intent is to surprise you with this unique, exquisite and noble wine that has the potential to age for 10 years or more.
The 2016 Silhouette Chardonnay opens with notes of flowers, orange blossom, jasmine, white peach and candied pineapple. The mouth is broad at first, elegant with a deep acidity that sustains the weight and natural sweetness of the wine. The finish exhibits the traditional minerality of our Stanly Ranch Estate Vineyard and brings freshness and balance to the wine.
- Vineyard Notes
Silhouette is a limited production white wine worthy of a collector’s cellar. This hallmark Chardonnay captures the family’s vision of crafting an old-world style white wine from Napa Valley. Each vintage, our very best Chardonnay fruit goes into the Silhouette bottling. For the 2016 vintage, the wine is comprised of grapes grown on our Stanly Ranch Estate Vineyard and the neighboring Hyde Vineyard in Carneros. The grapes for Silhouette were handpicked at peak ripeness and hand sorted before being gently pressed until only one bar of pressure. The juices were cold settled overnight and then drained to barrel with maximum care to prevent oxidation. We were able to achieve native primary and malolactic fermentations. Total fermentation time was 10 months with malolactic happening at the same time as the alcoholic fermentation, enhancing integration of oak and flavors. The wine was aged for 16 months on full lies in 35% new French oak barrels.
- From Wine Enthusiast: "Dark in color, the barrel imprint comes first...
… in this rich, rounded white, with a heady concoction of flowers, apple, peach and lemon coming next. Textured and complex, it is full bodied and voluptuous, with a complement of acidity that refreshes.” —Virginie Boone [94 POINTS]
- From Wine Spectator: "Rich, with opulent flavors of custard, lemon curd and pear tart,
… backed by vibrant acidity. Light buttery notes emerge on the lusciously spiced and vibrantly fresh finish. Drink now through 2024. 650 cases made. —Kim Marcus [92 POINTS]
- FROM RobertParker.com: "Aged for 16 months in 35% new French oak, the 2016 Chardonnay Silhouette opens with...
… tropical fruit notes of mango, guava and pineapple with touches of crème brûlée, mandarin peel and lightly browned toast. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a pleasantly oily texture and lovely freshness lifting the vivacious fruits, finishing long.” —Lisa Perrotti-Brown [91 POINTS]