Merryvale Silhouette Chardonnay 2019
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Jeb
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James
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Aromatically alluring, the 2019 Silhouette opens with notes of hazelnut, orange blossom and jasmine. Layered, complex flavors of lemon curd, dried pineapple and marzipan unfold on the broad yet focused palate. An elegant, deep acidity sustains the weight and natural lusciousness of the wine. The finish is long and evolving, exhibiting the traditional minerality of the historic Stanly Ranch Estate Vineyard.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2019 Chardonnay Silhouette is a rich, sumptuous, pretty impressive wine. Lemon confit, tangerine oil, butter, marzipan, tropical fruit and a healthy dose of new oak are all dialed up. This is a decidedly exuberant style, but it all works so well. The ample, creamy finish is a thing of beauty.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Chardonnay Silhouette is a beauty. Coming from the Stanly Ranch Estate Vineyard in Napa and aged 18 months in 40% new French oak, it offers ripe melon, flower oil, and honeyed notes in a medium to full-bodied, balanced package. It has some attractive background oak but leads with its fruit.
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Wine Enthusiast
Packed with ripe fruits and generously accented with toasted oak notes of ginger and nutmeg, this full-bodied wine boasts winning concentration and a creamy texture. It is oaky in a good way, and not overwrought.
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James Suckling
A full-bodied chardonnay with aromas of ripe apricots, lemon curd, pastries, smoked almonds and toffee apples. Concentrated and nutty with buttery, dense layers.
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Wine Spectator
Seamless and elegant, showing a polished mix of tangerine, lemon blossom, toasted hazelnut and a hint of tropical fruit at the juicy core, with spice lingering on the finish. Drink now through 2030.
Other Vintages
2020-
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Merryvale is committed to protecting and preserving the environment through conservation, renewable energy and sustainable farming practices at our three estate vineyards. Merryvale has received Napa Green Vineyard, Napa Green Winery and Bay Area Green Business certifications.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential—and they were right.
The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Above those are the warm St. Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. These areas follow the valley floor and are known generally for creating rich, dense, complex and smooth red wines with good aging potential. The mountain sub appellations, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs, include Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley (farther east), Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District. Napa Valley wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from a lot of time in the bottle to evolve and soften.