2018 Newton Vineyard Unfiltered Chardonnay, Napa Valley, USA (750ml)

A full-bodied, toasty white with aromas and flavors of dried lemon zest, apricot, hay and smoke. Bright acidity and a phenolic texture with grapefruit pith and flint on the finish. Drink or hold.

This is a round, robust chardonnay blended from organically farmed, estate-grown fruit in Carneros (two-thirds of the lot), with a contribution from a grower in Rutherford. As generous as the fruit may be, it feels cool and elegant, with notes of dry caramel and spice that last on the breath without coating the mouth. It would be delicious with chanterelles and cream over gnocchi.

- Wine & Spirits, 94 pts.

An entirely barrel-fermented white, aged one year in French oak, 25% of it new, this stalwart from the producer shows the warmth and evenness of the vintage, reductive and nutty in its opening note of oak and white flower. A creamy, lush midpalate of buttered corn and fig follow, with a splash of acidity providing balanced verve.