Olivia Brion
2012 Wild Horse Valley Chardonnay
Chardonnay •Heron Lake Vineyard
California: Napa Valley
Mission Briefing

She Flies
Welcome to the ongoing Wine Spies Intrigue Awards for 2016.
Each year we recognize our most popular and sought-after wines from the previous year - while giving our Operatives (that’s you!) one final chance to grab some of the winning wines for themselves.
Today, we’re very happy to present to you another great 2016 Wine Intrigue Awards winner! This wine is the Operative’s Choice for Top White Wine Selection of 2016.
We adore this perfectly-made Chardonnay - and know that you will, too.
Here’s what we said about this wine, the last time we showcased it:
Today we are proud to bring you an exceptional, elegant, silky smooth Chard from a Wine Spies’ favorite, Olivia Brion Winery. Their Olivia Brion 2012 Wild Horse Valley Chardonnay is offered to you with our highest recommendation.
This white wine is a real stunner.
This wine is very full on the nose, with aromas of fresh pineapple, white peach, nectarine, Granny Smith apple, custard, vanilla and sweet white spice.
On the palate, this wine is silky and ultra soft on entry, the wine starts with flavors of sweet pineapple, peach, apricot, green apple and vanilla. Then flavors of lemon candy, lemon curd, sweet light spice and a hint of lemongrass appear.
This intriguing, golden-hued, unfiltered wine pours with a very slight haze, which dissipates within a minute or two. This is completely normal for a wine of this traditional style.
If you love silky, flavor-filled Chards, you’ll enjoy this very very special wine.
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What the wine press has to say:
Ronn Wiegand, Master Sommelier - “An elegant, complex Chardonnay of excellent quality. It is fragrant, very supple in texture, and full bodied, with very complex character (pear, apple, lemon, honey), and overtones of vanilla, baked bread, and oak. Well balanced and long on the finish. Great value.”
Tasting Profile
Look: | This intriguing, golden-hued, unfiltered wine pours with a very slight haze, which dissipates within a minute or two. This is normal for a wine of this style. |
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Smell: | Pineapple, white peach, nectarine, Granny Smith apple, custard, vanilla and sweet white spice. |
Taste: | Sweet pineapple, peach, apricot, green apple, and vanilla, with additional flavors of lemon candy, lemon curd, sweet light spice and a hint of lemongrass. |
Finish: | Plush, elegant and extra long with fruit flavors that gradually fade to reveal spice and citrus flavors. |
Pairing: | Enjoy this flavorful wine with your favorite baked or grilled fish, an herb roasted chicken or espresso rubbed pork. |
What the Winery Says
- Winemaker
- David Mahaffey
- Varietal
- Chardonnay
- Vintage
- 2012
- Appellation
- Napa County, Wild Horse Valley
- Abv
- 14.0%
- Aging
- 11 months
- Barrels
- New French oak
- Bottling
- Unfined, Unfiltered