Napa Valley Chardonnay – Reviews

By | April 23, 2015

Introduction

Napa Valley is California’s first recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA), which it received in 1981. It has taken maximum advantage of previous experiences resulting in the wisdom of matching grapes with locations whose micro climates and soils are best suited to particular grape varieties. Thus within the Napa Valley, regions have emerged possessing distinct micro climates and terrains, impressing recognizable characteristics on the grapes grown within them.

Vineyards within these regions delineate the boundaries of these growing areas, giving them names that reflect their regional designations, or appellations. Data supporting a proposed American Viticultural Area, or AVA, is submitted to the government, which subsequently decides whether the proposed appellation designation will be granted.

This all has led over years to a wine industry, which excels not so much in quantity, but foremost in quality. As a prime example, Napa Valley Chardonnay wines can compete with the best in the world. First of all I would like you to know this fact and secondly I am herewith giving you the opportunity to get to know some of these excellent wines, through my reviews below.  These are for delivery within USA territory.

You will see that all the wines will have been rated, an explanation of which I made in Chardonnay wine reviews and ratings here.

What do the ratings mean?

Score Explanation
95–100 A classic great wine
90–94 An outstanding wine of superior character and style
85–89 A very good wine with special qualities
80-84 A good solid, well-made wine
75–79 A mediocre wine, drinkable but may have minor flaws
50–74 Not recommended

Bounty Hunters Wines

All these great wines and more can be bought through Bounty Hunter Wines. Who are they? Founder and CEO Mark Steven Pope explains:

For twenty years now, we’ve made it our business to track down the hottest wines the world has to offer. Let’s face it, these are challenging times, and the price-to-value ratio has never been more important as we seek to hold on to a luxnapa valley wineury experience that doesn’t break the bank.

As merchants, negotiant and vintners, we are afforded special access to a treasure trove of great wine.We taste between five and six thousand wines every year and have long-standing relationships with some of the world’s best wineries and winemakers.Consider us your ultimate Wine Country insiders. We live here in Napa, work with the local winemakers and grape growers and eat and drink with them in our Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ digs down town. We often get the early scoop on what’s really happening in the wineries, vineyards and cellars (lucky you). This means we have access to the truly ‘great stuff’ long before most other sources even know about it. Fact is, we stay ahead of the curve and find the wines you want before you know you want them”.

What guarantees do you have?

Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Provisions wants you to be happy with every item that you purchase from us. “If you don’t like it, we want it back”. We are glad to refund the purchase price of your item in full, provided that the item meets our Return criteria.

1) Product: Pursuit Chardonnay

Where best to buy: Bounty Hunter Wines (click banner below)napa chardonnay

Vintage: 2012

Bottle: 750 ml

Alcohol content: 14.5%

Rating: 88/100

Price: $34.95 (10 percent discount when buying minimum 12 bottles)

Tasting Notes

This year’s Pursuit has its roots firmly planted in Napa Valley, and the quality keeps ticking upward. This might be the best one yet for those who like their Chards with brains and curves. Golden apple, pear, baking spice and a creamy mouth feel get the job done in a big way. You’ll be back for more.

Wine maker’s notes

For our Pursuit label, we tap into our deep connections in the wine business and source incredible juice from top houses. We start early in the process so that we can guide the finished product and ensure that it’s up to our exacting standards. While confidentiality agreements are involved, we can assure you that the vineyard sources at our disposal are some of the absolute best in California (it’s good to have friends).  This line-up is the result of countless hours of tasting, blending, haggling and arm wrestling…in that order. We have delivered what we know to be substantial ‘taste-per-dollar’ by aggressively chasing select lots from growers and producers whose track records are beyond reproach. You don’t have to pay major league money to play with this line-up. The wines just taste really expensive. Our core values include life, liberty and the pursuit of great wine.

Buy this excellent wine on line and save by clicking the banner below: then click white wine>chardonnay>napa valley!

Bounty Hunter Rare Wine and Spirits

2) Product:   Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay

Where best to buy: Bounty Hunter Wines (click banner below)Napa Valley Chardonnay

Vintage: 2012

Bottle: 750 ml

Alcohol content: 14.3%

Rating: 89/100

Price: $39.99 

Tasting Notes

One of Napa Valley’s best-known names knocked it out of the park with their Chardonnay! Cakebread’s 2012 features notes of green apple, melon and spice come together with a richness that’ll leave you begging for more!

Winery

Neither a cake, nor a bread. The winery got its start when Jack Cakebread took an unassuming trip to wine country to photograph the area for a book. Within a few days, Cakebread Winery was already taking shape. It’s been a wild ride over the last forty years for the valley pioneers. Visitors to the winery with an interest in wine as a part of healthy living are on the upswing. While times are ‘changing,’ the winery’s premise remains unshakable; to produce memorable, food friendly wines that speak of their distinctive terroir. Visitors to the Rutherford estate experience the wine, and if they are lucky, a glimpse of Dolores Cakebread’s famed gardens. This is where the good life was imagined, and here it’s eagerly shared.

Buy this excellent wine on line and save by clicking the banner below: then click white wine>chardonnay>napa valley!

Bounty Hunter Rare Wine and Spirits

3) Product:  Streamside Chardonnay 

Where best to buy: Bounty Hunter Wines (click banner below)Napa valley chardonnay

Vintage: 2013

Bottle: 750 ml

Alcohol content: 14.1%

Rating: 86/100

Price: $16.95  (10 percent discount when buying minimum 12 bottles)

Tasting Notes

A phenomenal value in Napa Chardonnay, the 2013 Streamside will take your palate on a tropical vacation! Flaunting aromas of banana, Asian pear and toasted coconut flesh, this young damsel struts a well-oiled body but she is as classy as they come. Pure poached pear, banana and lychee flavours glide across the tongue leaving you in awe of the incredible taste-per-dollar that she delivers.

Producer’s Notes

The Streamside concept is pretty straightforward: crisp, delicious white wines that over-deliver in the bottle. We’re talking about crowd-pleasing cocktail wines and perfect kitchen sipping companions as you whip up a culinary masterpiece. Summer block parties where you want to drink well and not break the bank? Something delicious to have on hand for those who don’t like reds? Yes and yes. We’re not sure why finding truly delicious white wine at bargain prices is so difficult, but a wade through the Streamside should convince you that this is where you should cast your fly.

Buy this great value for money wine on line and save by clicking the banner below: then click white wine>chardonnay>napa valley!

Bounty Hunter Rare Wine and Spirits

4)Product: Antica Chardonnay

Where best to buy: Bounty Hunter Wines (click banner below)

Vintage: 2012

Bottle: 750 ml

Alcohol content: not specified

Rating: 88/100

Price: $34.95 (10 percent discount when buying minimum 12 bottles)

Tasting Notes

This Chardonnay truly gives you the best of both worlds. Ripe, fleshy tones of white peach, nectarine and pear weave together with clean lines of minerality and a thin veil of acidity to create a mouthwatering wine of both style and substance. Subtle tones of vanilla awaken the mid-palate, while a long, lingering finish is sure to jolt your palate out of its Chardonnay slumber.

Wine maker’s Notes

Since Marchese Piero Antinori first visited Napa Valley in 1966, he dreamt of making a California wine worthy of the Antinori name and family history. Having put roots down in the eastern hills of Napa Valley’s Atlas Peak appellation, he felt this impossibly rocky and hilly terrain was perfectly suited for making high-caliber wines that possess a distinct sense of style and place. The results speak for themselves. Antica is the true intersection of where Italy meets California, having taken 600 years and 26 generations of winemaking expertise and transporting that knowledge to a new and exciting terroir with rich winegrowing potential. It may have taken 40 years to turn his Napa dream into reality, but Antica is the realization of that vision. We invite you to close your eyes, count some sheep, and prove to your palate that dreams can come true.

Buy this outstanding wine on line and save clicking banner below: then click white wine>chardonnay>napa valley!

Bounty Hunter Rare Wine and Spirits

Do you have any questions or comments, then please leave them in the comment box and I will get back to you within 24 hours.

Please note that the category World best Chardonnays, contains more reviews of Chardonnay wines from the best regions in the world. See one more Napa Valley wine review here.

6 thoughts on “Napa Valley Chardonnay – Reviews

  1. Chris

    Hi, Jerry, I enjoy my visits to your site. Have been checking some of the great prices for your increditable wine selection. Also helpful and informative information. Have bookmarked your site for my future views, I like wine and giving it for gifts too. Look forward to more post reviews. Cheers, Chris

    Reply
    1. Jerry Post author

      Hi Chris, thank you for bookmarking my website. I sure hope you will be back. I already have more than 10 reviews of excellent Chardonnays from around the world. Cheers, Jerry

      Reply
  2. Mandy

    Hi Jerry, I am from South Africa and we also have an excellent wine producing regions and I love Chardonnay in particular 🙂 Pity one can not taste wine on a website! Do you get South African wines in the US?

    Reply
    1. Jerry Post author

      Hi Mandy, yes I know there is some excellent wine from S-Africa. I drank them myself here in Thailand and I also wrote in detail about them here. Cheers, Jerry

      Reply
  3. Simon

    I only really drink wine at Christmas, but I think that the article seems quite well written and authorative within its genre. As a slight external criticism though, the “Custom Footer” text at the bottom of the page is a bit off putting and you should probably adapt it when you get the time.

    Reply
    1. Jerry Post author

      Thank you Simon, I will do something about this footer. I am glad you liked the contents of this article. Cheers, Jerry

      Reply

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