2017 Silhouette
Varietals
100% Chardonnay
Appellation
Napa Valley
Alcohol
14.0% by volume
Flavor Profile
Silhouette is a captivating wine. 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 2017 Silhouette Chardonnay has an intense nose filled with exotic fruit notes including pineapple, stone fruit and tangerine, and a fragrant vanilla finish. The mouth is very round with a nice sweetness and very clean minerality. The wine is dense and ample with a touch of sweetness and citrus (yuzu) finish. A very balanced and elegant wine with a stylish touch of oak and a beautiful finish.
- 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 2017 vintage, the wine is comprised primarily of grapes grown on our Stanly Ranch Estate Vineyard with a small percentage from 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 in barrel. 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 40% new French oak barrels.
- FROM JEBDUNNUCK.COM: "FROM THE STANLY RANCH...
… and Hyde vineyard (both in Carneros), the 2017 Chardonnay Silhouette is a classic Napa Valley Chardonnay that has a Montrachet-like slant in its rich orchard fruits, toasted nut, brioche, and white flower-driven aromas and flavors. Brought up in 40% new French oak, it has a medium to full-bodied, rounded, sexy texture, terrific sweetness of fruit, and a great finish.” —Jeb Dunnuck [95 POINTS]
- FROM robertparker.com: "THIS BOTTLING REPRESENTS THE BEST Chardonnay fruit...
… of the vintage. The 2017 Chardonnay Silhouette comes mostly from Stanly Ranch Estate vineyard plus some fruit from Hyde vineyard in Carneros. The wine fermented in barrel with native yeasts and full malolactic. It aged 16 months with the full lees in 40% new French oak. It gives up forward fruit notes of guava, fresh pineapple and honeydew melon with hints of peach kernel, lime leaves and chopped nuts with a touch of cedar. Medium-bodied, the palate has a seriously racy line of freshness cutting through the intense tropical and stone fruit flavors, finishing long and toasty.” —Lisa Perrotti-Brown [92 POINTS]
- FROM WINE SPECTATOR: "OFFERS A SEDUCTIVE...
… smoky aroma, featuring luscious and engaging flavors of apple, peach and apricot that are supported by fresh acidity. Lilting mid-palate, with a long finish of meringue, showing some tropical accents. Drink through 2024.” —Kim Marcus [92 POINTS]