2001 Napa Valley Chardonnay

(15% alcohol, like the Sonoma Coast chardonnay) Leesy, musky aromas of smoke and hazelnut. Less fruit-driven than the Sonoma Coast offering, showing subtle smoke, spice and toast elements; orange peel and dried fruit scents emerged with aeration. Fat and silky, with more spice and less depth of fruit than the Sonoma Coast bottling. ("Another big industrial-strength Napa chardonnay," opines Jayson Pahlmeyer.) Shows a bit more warmth and less grip on the back end. From grapes harvested on September 5, whereas the Sonoma Coast fruit was picked on October 5.