2001 Pride Chardonnay

2001 Pride Chardonnay

There are a handful of producers who are consistently credited with crafting outstanding examples of what this varietal can offer. We are proud to be counted among them. Much maligned as over-planted, over-rated and overly manipulated, it has become quite fashionable to discredit the noble Chardonnay grape. Receiving 92 points from The Wine Spectator on the 1998, 92 points from Wine & Spirits on the 1999 and 90 points on the 2000 from The Wine Enthusiast, our Napa Chardonnay consistently does us proud. We like that the critics like it, but more importantly, we like it that you like it. Why, we’ve actually had big strong men with blue teeth buy our Chardonnay after trying it in the tasting room! (Although not in front of their friends, of course . . .) The 2001 is a delightful wine. Bright fresh aromas and flavors of green apple, lemon grass and butterscotch are carried forward by a very healthy natural acidity in this barrel-fermented Chardonnay. New Virginia oak barrels contribute a subtle flavor of toasted nuts to the flavor profile. (Surprised? Winemaker, Bob Foley, picked the Virginia barrels out of a blind tasting four years ago and we’ve been using them ever since.) The perfectly balanced finish lingers long enough to remind you that, red or white, this is one great bottle of wine.

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Appellation: Napa Valley
Vintage: 2001
Harvest: October 2001
Fermentation: Select Virginia Oak
Cooperage: Select Virginia Oak
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Alcohol: 13.9%
Bottling: June 2002
Production: 1328 cases
Release Date: August 2002
Release Price:

Reviews

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  • Wine Enthusiast: February 2003 - Rating: 92

    From mountain vineyards, an intense fruit with enormously concentrated apple and peach flavors, generously oaked. The texture is creamy smooth, with sprightly acidity to make it lively and fresh. The long, spicy finish leaves behind a rich mouthfeel.

  • The Wine Advocate: December 23, 2003 - Rating: 92

    A classic new world offering, Pride's 2001 Chardonnay exhibits abundant quantities of tropical fruit, well-integrated toasty new oak, a deep, rich, chewy texture, full body, and a long, concentrated finish. Drink this top-notch white over the next 2-3 years.

  • Connoisseurs' Guide: March 2003, page 79 - Rating: 91 (2 puffs)

    Pride Mountain's limited cuvee bottling has all the size, depth and range one could reasonably expect from one of the winery's special selections. We love its mix of ripe apple and spiced fruit with complex notes of vanilla and minerals, and its full, oily palatal feel is also right in the line with expectations. One might criticize its finish for slight hotness, but, these days, a bit of heat goes with the territory when it comes to full-blown, extracted Chardonnays of its type.