2018 Silhouette
Varietals
100% Chardonnay
Appellation
Napa Valley
Alcohol
14.0%
Flavor Profile
Sourced from the best Chardonnay block on the historic Stanly Ranch, our Silhouette is a uniquely captivating wine. Meticulously crafted using time honored old world techniques, the gentle barrel fermentation allows for the full expression of the fruit, resulting in a wine that is elegantly balanced, refined, and complex.
The 2018 captivates with aromas of orange blossoms, jasmine, and candied pineapple, evolving as it opens. Full on the palate, the unctuous mouthfeel is brilliantly supported by the wine’s natural acidity, leading into a long finish that showcases the traditional minerality and freshness of Stanly Ranch. Enjoy now and over the next 10+ years.
- 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 2018 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. Hand harvested at night to retain vibrant acidity, the grapes for Silhouette were whole cluster pressed to a temperature controlled stainless steel tank to settle the juice, then racked into French oak barrels the following day. The winemaking techniques were classic Burgundian—spontaneous native yeast barrel fermentation, gentle bâttonage, and natural malolactic fermentation. The wine aged for 18 months on fine lees in 40% new French Burgundian oak barrels, and was racked once before bottling.
- FROM JEB DUNNUCK: "This medium gold-hued beauty...
“… boasts a terrific nose of caramelized stone fruits, Meyer lemons, white flowers, brioche, honeysuckle, and a kiss of green almond. It’s a rich, medium to full-bodied Chardonnay with wonderful overall balance, nicely integrated acidity, background oak, and an incredible sense of richness balanced by plenty of freshness. It’s going to keep for 4-6 years, if not longer.” —Jeb Dunnuck [96 POINTS]
- FROM WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2018 Chardonnay Silhouette reveals...
“… compelling notes of fresh grapefruit, green mango and white peaches with hints of struck flint, lime leaves and honeysuckle. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a wicked backbone of crisp acidity, lifting the citrus and stone fruit flavors to a long, steely finish.” —Lisa Perrotti-Brown [93 POINTS]
- FROM WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Made from estate grapes...
“… as well as fruit from other prominent sites, this wine opens in a mix of matchstick and fresh hay. Nutty brioche and stone-fruit accent a succulent and luxurious core of richness and weight, with a lasting lift of acidity.” —Virginie Boone [92 POINTS]