2011 El Molino Chardonnay

El Molino Winery in St. Helena dates to the mid-19th century when an English physician bought a ranch and set up a water-powered mill, which inspired the name “El Molino” and the distinctive bottle label. The label is the original design introduced in 1871 when the estate first started making wine. In 1976 the property, by now in disuse, was purchased by Reginald and Marie Oliver who renovated it and turned into an artisanal producer. Today the estate is run by the couple’s daughter and son-in-law. The 58-acre estate’s vineyards are mostly in Rutherford, with a half-acre in St. Helena. El Molino makes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. California wine writer James Laube notes that El Molino’s wines “have moved to the forefront of the California scene, despite the fact that the winery keeps a low profile and that its wines are difficult to obtain…"

Napa Valley AVA is the most famous winemaking region in the United States and one of the most prestigious in the world. With nearly 43,000 acres of vineyards and more than 300 wineries, it is the heart of fine wine production in the United States. Winemaking started in Napa in 1838 when George C. Yount planted grapes and began producing wine commercially. Other winemaking pioneers followed in the late 19th century, including the founders of Charles Krug, Schramsberg, Inglenook and Beaulieu Vineyards. An infestation of phylloxera, an insect that attacks vine roots, and the onset of Prohibition nearly wiped out the nascent Napa wine industry in the early 20th century. But by the late 1950s and early 1960s Robert Mondavi and other visionaries were producing quality wines easily distinguishable from the mass-produced jug wines made in California’s Central Valley. Napa Valley’s AVA was established in 1983, and today there are 16 sub-appellations within the Napa Valley AVA. Many grapes grow well in Napa’s Mediterranean climate, but the region is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay is also very successfully cultivated, and about 30% of the AVA’s acreage is planted to white grapes, with the majority of those grapes being Chardonnay,

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.