Shafer Vineyards Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay 2022

This Chardonnay offers elegant aromas and flavors of melon, honeysuckle, apricot, pineapple, citrus zest, and flint. The abundance of exotic fruit is complemented by bright acidity, seamless balance, and a long, mouth-coating finish.

Shafer Vineyards, located in Napa Valley's Stags Leap District, is managed by the father-and-son team of John and Doug Shafer. The family owns and farms 200 acres of vineyards, which provide the grapes for their Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Syrah. Shafer's single-vineyard Chardonnay from Carneros is made from small-clustered clones chosen for their low yields and distinctive flavors. The wine is fermented in individual oak and stainless-steel barrels using native yeasts and matures on the lees for 14 months. Since it undergoes no malolactic fermentation, the Chardonnay retains its lively, natural acidity. The vineyard is named for the red-shouldered hawks and other birds of prey that are key to Shafer's natural-farming practices.