Charles Krug 2012 Chardonnay Carneros
Charles Krug Winery was founded in 1861 by a 27-year old Prussian immigrant, Charles Krug, who came to America with little means but had the drive to work hard and build the cornerstone of the first winery in Napa. Charles Krug brought much influence, innovation and development into the Napa wine making era. For example he introduced the first cider press for wine making and it remains on display today. He experimented with selecting rootstocks, varietals and vineyard sites, unheard of in 19th century America. The winery changed hands at the turn of the 19th century and after Prohibition, in 1943, the winery was sold for $75,000 to Cesare Mondavi, an Italian immigrant with a passion for wine. Cesare died in 1959 leaving his wife Rosa as President with sons Robert as General Manager and Peter as Vice President. In 1966, Robert moved south to Oakville and began construction of his own winery. Upon Rosa’s death in 1976, Peter became President of the winery and is under his guidance today along with his sons Marc and Peter Jr.
The 2012 Chardonnay from the Carneros area has the perfect environment for growing Chardonnay with its cool ocean breezes and rolling fog yielding a cool and even climate. Pouring a glass you notice the mineral characteristics and gentle fruit aromas. Tasting the wine you get a nice juicy Asian pear flavor with hints of lemon citrus and green apple. The wine sits on French oak for 5 months and provides a clean finish with a slight oaky taste. Certainly not a heavy chardonnay with too much complexity, rather an easy wine that can be enjoyed, especially when I am trying to think about the warm weather to come. I will certainly keep a few bottles handy for those warm sunny days. Pick up a few for your cellar, at under $20 it is a good value.
Cheers!