st. Clements chardonnay wine

St. Clement 2005 Chardonnay Carneros $17
st. clement chardonnay carneros wine

As you drive out of St. Helena in Napa look for the Victorian house on the hill that is St. Clement Winery. Our wine of the week was born there… St. Clement 2005 Chardonnay.

It’s a Napa Chardonnay that you’ll find a bit surprising because it’s from Napa’s share of the Carneros area. That means a cooler, windier climate and wine with more bracing acidity and citrusy flavor.

The St. Clement is a Carneros wine through and through… easy on the oakiness and creamy without tasting too buttery.

You’ll find the wines from Carneros to be more in the French Chablis style than many of those from Napa Valley itself. Now that may mean it’s not quite as typical, but it sure is drinkable.

For seventeen dollars a bottle this is a high quality Napa Chardonnay at a great price. And its food friendly acidity makes it a good value when you’re entertaining some friends.

St. Clement 2005 Chardonnay from Carneros… our wine of the week.

Pop the Cork™.

Winemaker’s Notes and Comments:

Pale yellow in color, this Chardonnay features aromas of lemon, ripe melon, pear and tropical fruit that transition to bright fruit flavors of citrus, apple and cantaloupe on the palate. A creamy mouthfeel of Kiwi, guava, vanilla and spice notes from the French oak combine with balanced acidity and a touch of minerality that prolongs the fruit flavors throughout a long, saturated finish.

The philosophical approach to winemaking at St Clement is all about the land of Napa Valley. Much has been written about the idyllic nature and diversity of this 50-mile long valley. It is this diversity that forms the foundation for our approach to winemaking.

We take the fruit from this collection of small, independent growers to balance, blend and build our wines into totalities that mirror the complexity and beauty of the Napa valley itself.

As an artist holds many colors on the palette to create subtle hues, we hold a collection of vineyards from the north in Calistoga to the south in Carneros and from the alluvial benches of the valley floor at Rutherford to the cloud clinging heights of Mt Veeder.

Wine Advocate 87 points - A wine made more in a Chablis style than most California Chardonnays is St. Clement’s 2005 Chardonnay from Carneros. A very good value, it is not terribly complex, but steely, displaying notes of minerals and citrus in a fresh, lively style. It should evolve for another 1-2 years.

Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks:

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently. A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list. Well, don't stop buying it because of that. In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts...first, prices are approximate. They'll vary. Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly! Now, all that said, here is a summary of links to our suggestions. Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

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