1996
Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Napa Valley
100% Chardonnay
- Winemaker
- Helen Turley
- Alcohol
- 14%
Winemaking Notes
Barrel fermented and aged in French oak barrels. 100% malolactic fermentation. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Rich and smoky, with complex fig, melon, toast and anise flavors that are still a bit disjointed, but all the ingredients are there and a little more time in the bottle should smooth things out. Drink now through 2002.
The awesome 1996 Chardonnay is one of the finest made at Pahlmeyer. A massive yet remarkably well-balanced example, it boasts a leesy complexity, rich, honeysuckle, buttered citrus, and roasted hazelnut characteristics. Since it was bottled unfiltered, it is throwing some sediment, so don’t have a coronary if you see what professionals call “floaters.” The wine’s spectacular length and richness suggest another 4-5 years of longevity. This is undoubtedly one of the 1996 vintage’s superstar Chardonnays.
