Freddy R. Troya

9.1

Stags’ Leap Chardonnay 2023
Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A complex and elegant Chardonnay, made with a touch of Viognier (1%), aged in a thoughtful mix of French oak (50% neutral, 25% new) and stainless steel. This approach keeps it bright and fresh, while still offering richness and depth—a classic Napa Valley balance.

Aromas & Flavors
On the nose: lemon crème, white pineapple, melon, and delicate citrus blossoms and magnolia flowers.
On the palate: Golden Delicious apple, Asian pear, lemon curd, with accents of vanilla, brioche toast, ginger, and an exotic lift of lychee.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and creamy, with a long, satisfying finish. The minerality adds freshness, while the oak provides subtle spice and structure.

Winemaking Notes
100% Chardonnay + 1% Viognier, aged for 4.5 months in oak & stainless steel. Native malolactic fermentation balances creaminess with acidity.

Food Pairing
Perfect with grilled scallops, lobster tail, or white sea delicacies. Can also elevate creamy pasta or roasted chicken with herbs.

Verdict
A gorgeous Chardonnay—rich, floral, and layered, but still refreshing. A wine that shows Napa’s finesse while keeping an approachable style. — 10 months ago

Louis Martin

9.1

Dry, nice acidity, very light (only 12% alcohol), goes great with oysters and fish. And not overly sweet, so good to drink on its own without feeling like you are drinking a desert wine. — 3 years ago

Daryl Johnson

8.9

Refreshingly balanced. Bright and tart yet fruity with subtle oak. — 5 years ago

Jeff Hasmann

9.0

Delicious. New oak (30%) complements the fruit without overwhelming it. Well done! 2018 vintage on Dec 4, 2019 — 6 years ago

Ron R

8.9

K&L dropped their pants on pricing for this. We couldn’t resist... a case and half for the summer! 😯
Honey, almonds and pineapples are everywhere here. Reasonable amount of oak, leads into caramel and hints of dill. For less than $12, we are very happy with this. — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Had this about a year ago. After stints at Rudd, Dominus, Chalk Hill and Matanzas Creek, winemakers David Ramey and his wife, Carla began their own label in 1996. Sunshine Straw with aromas of stone and tropical fruit with sweet vanilla oak scents. On the palate apple, peach and apricot flavors, citrus zest with toasty oak. Lingering on a smooth finish ending with creamy notes. Delicious! Aged well. You can still find the 2014, so grab one, you won’t be disappointed. — 8 years ago

Chris Pittenger

Owner Gros Ventre Cellars, Winemaker Skinner Vineyards

9.3

While I may be biased, I still love this wine. Freshly structured pretty stuff. — 11 years ago

with Sarah and Hardy

Mike Greene

8.9

Nice and crisp with just the right amount of oak; purchased it way below the price point listed here. — 11 years ago

Matthew Gray

9.3

You can easily pick up the French style (which I am partial to) of this beautiful Chardonnay. Not an over abundance of oak that I get from so many US (ahem, California) chards... — 12 years ago

Jan A

9.2

Oak/butter — 10 months ago

Lyn Farmer

9.1

Very elegant with Medium intensity aromas and flavors of apple, pineapple, apricot, white peach, nectarine, elderflower, brioche, clove, vanilla and smoke.
Hint of dried apricot and honey.
Very good quality, balancing aromatics with a hint of oak. Interesting style with batonnage, 18% new French oak — 3 years ago

Scott Koles

9.3

Fabulous Chardonnay, ripe fruit, mild oak. — 4 years ago

Stephanie Wu

9.1

Notes of pear. Some citrus. Oak but not overwhelming. And lightly floral notes at the end. — 5 years ago

with Jenny and Tim

Lindsay Corrigan

9.0

Balanced taste with thick mouth feel.
Scents of cheesecake sweetness , lemon and oak.
The flavours citrus + honeydew melon are harmonious leads to a reduction in sweetness and cleanses with hint of straw and minerality of the riverstones🥂 — 7 years ago

Jacynda Lavanture

9.1

Oak and butter. Paired it with a selection of oysters. — 8 years ago

with Holli

Ken Venezio

9.1

Third wine of the night. 2011 of a three flight night. Much more acidic than the 2009 and the 2010, but a lovely Chardonnay. A little crisper and less oak. — 8 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.5

Rich in aroma, flavor, and texture. The oak was there but what caught my attention more was the white floral and lychee notes. On the palate it's dense, extremely pure, with a huge finish that shows acidity buried down deep in the wine. Great stuff if you can try it, a benchmark from one of the greatest sites in Condrieu! — 10 years ago

Peter Scudamore-Smith MW

9.6

Young Bonneau du Martray; just linear, oak though a big presence is layered, nose awfully restrained and fruit basically hidden until it evolves some more; try in a decade maybe two; so slight but so tight; acid tucked behind the wood too; an evolution to happen; great Corton; an even better site when I drove past this vineyard in May this year; #drinkFrance #drinkburgundy #côtedor #cortoncharlemagne #corton #bonneaudumartray #grandcru #domaine #2009 #uncorkedandcultivated #wineandfoodtours #France2016 — 11 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.8

White 2004 and totally developing. Lovely bright acidity, rich integrated oak. World class white. — 12 years ago

K L

8.9

Good not great. Light and a bit nondescript. Not sure it’s worth the shipment but good if the price is right. — 3 years ago

with Matt

Bob McDonald

9.3

Astonishing quality for their regular Estate bottling - not their individual vineyard Cuvées like Mates etc. Toasty, nutty (oak derived) notes along with yellow peach. M+ intensity on the palate. Not for long keeping but a great drink right now. — 3 years ago

Andrea Watt

8.9

Crisp for a Chardonnay with bright acidity and citrus over oak and pear. Balances well with food. — 5 years ago

Robert Evans Jr

9.1

Tremendous & Intense Nose Clean Crisp Honeydew Melon. Butter Toffee on the Palate. @Ron R channeling my inner you on this description — 6 years ago

with Nicole

Peter Hladun

9.2

Wonderful balance of oak, minerality and stone fruit. — 7 years ago

Michael Winterbottom

9.4

New world Chablis emulation but with a little more ripe fruit character and butter notes. Butter mochi, ripe green apple, cooked apples. Really tart finish with duality if fruit character. 0 new oak usage in this wine, fermented in used oak barrels and battonage for a year. Not your typical Napa chardonnay by any means but elegant and pretty. Perfumed and pretty. — 8 years ago

Charlie Tapp

9.3

Nice balance of butter, oak and minerality. — 10 years ago

Peter Marks

Master of Wine, Educator Constellation Brands

9.0

Spiced apple, mineral and toasty oak. Lovely now and over the next 2 years. — 10 years ago

with Adrienne and Marie

e

9.0

Balanced citrus and acidity, crisp, subtle oak — 11 years ago

Doc Jay

9.1

Nice mineral/oak balance. — 12 years ago

Bruce Baldinger

9.4

Buttery and nice oak. A classic. — 12 years ago