Summers Estate Wines
2012 Reserve Chardonnay
Chardonnay • Stuhlmuller Vineyards
California: Alexander Valley
Mission Briefing
Sunshine in a bottle
Today’s 2012 Summers Estate Wines Reserve Chardonnay hails from one of our very favorite vineyard sources, Stuhlmuller Vineyards in Alexander Valley. Grower Fritz Stuhlmuller is a grower and a winemaker, which gave him a big advantage when tending the grapes that were used for today’s fantastic Chardonnay.
This is a very balanced Chardonnay that possesses plenty of character and a decent measure of subtlety. This juxtaposition makes for a really fun wine drinking experience that gets even more enjoyable as the wine warms slightly in the glass.
Drinking beautifully, now, we feel that this wine will develop more nuance as it ages over the next 6 to 12 months. Enjoy a few bottles now, but please be sure to hold a few back for future enjoyment. Decant and serve at slightly warmer than room temperature for best results.
We are very excited to have Summers back on our pages and we are thrilled to share this beautiful - and highly recommended - wine with you, today.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Very light gold, with perfect clarity and a pretty, glinting meniscus. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Smoky oak presents, at first, which is quite intriguing. This aroma diminishes quickly, soon replaced by pineapple, baked apple, lemon, young pear, young peach and lemon buttercream. |
| Taste: | Oaky and full, at first, then more refined and delicious with lemon, pineapple, granny smith apple, subtle lemon buttercream and thyme flower. |
| Finish: | Most pronounced at the mid-palate, with flavors of baked pear and apple that give way to subtle vanilla and toasty oak. |
| Pairing: | Enjoy with a broccoli and asparagus with Hollandaise or a plate of fruit and mixed cheeses. |
What the Winery Says
Our 2012 Reserve Chardonnay is produced from grapes grown at Stuhlmuller Vineyards in Alexander Valley bordered by Russian River and Chalk Hill Appellations. This area has unique river bench land soils, which produce some of California’s most distinctive Chardonnays. This Chardonnay was fermented and aged sur lie for eight months in French Oak. The wine possesses a golden color, lovely fragranced layers of pineapple, pear, apple and lemon cream pie, with a soft finish of nutmeg and citrus blossoms.
Harvest & Tasting Notes
- SUGGESTED FOOD PAIRINGS
- Scallops with a tarragon cream sauce, Soft Cheeses, Apple Pie
- CELLARING
- Enjoy now or can be aged up to four yearsTECHNICAL ANALYSIS: Blend - 100%. Chardonnay; Alcohol - 13.9%; Total Acidity - 6.4 g/L; Barrel Regime - 8 months in French Oak, 40% New Oak
- CASES PRODUCED
- 690
About the Winery
Summers Estate Winery
- History
- Creating red-wine from grapes grown on small acreages in both Napa Valley and Knights Valley is the passion of Beth and Jim Summers.
Jim Summers originally purchased a 28-acre vineyard in Knights Valley in 1987. Knights Valley is located northwest of Calistoga, between Mount St. Helena and the Alexander Valley. At that time it was primarily Merlot grapes planted on the property 30 years ago by Dan Duckhorn, with some Muscat Canelli. The first production of Summers Ranch Reserve Merlot was the 1992 vintage. We currently produce 900 cases. We also make Petite Sirah from the Knights Valley estate. Knights Valley is one of Sonoma’s warmest appellations, and its volcanic soils and close proximity to the Napa Valley have led to increased interest in Bordeaux varietals from the appellation in recent years.
In 1996 we expanded our vineyard holdings to include 25 acres at the corner of Highway 128 and Tubbs Lane. This Napa Valley property carries the name Summers Estate Wines, with the vineyard designation of Villa Andriana Vineyard, named after our daughter. While the property has been completely transformed to recognize its full potential, we take great care and pride in maintaining our 40 year old Zinfandel vineyards on the property. With a winery/tasting room, entertainment center, bocce ball court, picnic area and 22+ acres of vines (Zinfandel, Charbono, and Cabernet Sauvignon) we think it a perfect balance of pleasure and productivity.
The signature, “unique” wine offered by Summers is Charbono. The name is thought to be an early Italian immigrant version of Charbonneau, a French varietal. Some strongly believe that this variety is a close relative to the Dolcetto variety, widely grown in northern Italy. The vine bears very large berries that are used to make a very dark red wine that, when subjected to extended skin contact during fermentation, is full of fruit flavor and low in tannins.