2011 Fait Main Toyon Farm Chardonnay

Fait Main means “handmade’ in French. And that is appropriate since Fait Main wines are made by Benoit Touquette, a French winemaker who has made his mark in Napa Valley as winemaker for Hartwell Estate Vineyards, Realm and Jack Quinn, among others. Touquette earned advanced degrees in enology and chemistry at the University of Bordeaux before working at estates in Bordeaux and South Africa. Early in his career he made wine for legendary French wine consultant Michel Rolland. He is one of Napa’s rising young stars. His Fait Main Cabernet Sauvignons are usually available only through a mailing list.

St. Helena AVA is at the northern end of Napa Valley just north of Rutherford and south of Calistoga. It is a relatively warm climate thanks to the Mayacamas Mountains on its western edge, which protect it from Pacific Ocean fog. Out of the 9,000 acres in the appellation, some 1,500 are under vine. The principal grapes grown in St. Helena are the Bordeaux grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. St. Helena is considered prime wine producing territory, and it was one of the first important wine producing regions in northern California. The legendary Charles Krug founded his winery just north of the town of St. Helena in 1873, and today the appellation is home to many prestigious producers, including Abreu, Grace Family and Spottswoode.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.