My last bottle from the defunct yet memorable winery.
Smells so delicious, like a fruit yogurt
This drinks like it is fresh, with blackberry bramble, subtle and unique red fruits tucked behind the leather ones.
Tannins are still very gripping, and the acidity tames it back. A touch of heat and its off to the races! — 3 years ago
Piña Cellars Chardonnay 2019
Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley, USA 🇺🇸
Overview
A very small-production Chardonnay sourced from the Low Vineyard in the Oak Knoll District, located next to the historic Muir-Hanna Vineyards (once linked to the famed 1976 Paris Tasting winner). Only a few hundred cases are made each year, making it one of Piña’s rarest bottlings.
Aromas & Flavors
Rich and concentrated, showing layers of orchard fruits (white peach, pear, apricot) with accents of honeysuckle, hazelnut, and brioche. Subtle baking spice and mineral notes weave in, reflecting both terroir and oak aging.
Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with a creamy, satiny texture, balanced by refreshing acidity that keeps the palate lively. The finish is long and elegant, carrying flavors of stone fruit, nuts, and citrus zest.
Winemaking Notes
Crafted in a Burgundian-inspired style with extended élevage in French oak barrels (including new oak). The result is a Chardonnay that balances opulence with restraint, with the capacity to age several more years.
Food Pairing
Pairs beautifully with buttery lobster, roast chicken, creamy risottos, or brie and hazelnut cheese plates. Its freshness also makes it a great companion to lighter dishes like seared scallops or grilled peaches.
Verdict
An exceptional Napa Chardonnay with historic vineyard lineage and precision winemaking. Rich, complex, and cellar-worthy, yet ready to impress right now. A showstopper in Piña’s small but mighty portfolio. — 5 months ago
Outrageously loud nose. Green peppercorn, spicy beef jerky, powdered rock dust, tangy red berries behind all that. Balanced and full of flavor, there’s nice acidity lifting flavors of crushed rocky minerals. There is something like dried red berries - almost Christmas-spiced- that turn savory as the finish progresses. Tannins almost fully resolved and soft. Fascinating. — 4 years ago
A superb aromatic 100% Chardonnay, the V. 2022 Grower Collection is entirely sourced from the Calesa Vineyard by the Petaluma Gap, situated in the coolest parts of Sonoma County where Chard ripens slowly, developing pure, vibrant flavors and ideal acidity. They grow Chards from Clones Robert Young, and Burgundian Dijons.
This particular Chard wakes up all senses with its vibrant notes of lemon meringue, some ripened lychees, and baked guava. On the palate is respectfully complex, baked stony fruits in the mid-range and the lemon and mandarine peels continue to dominate to the back-end of the tongue.
Mouthfeel overall, pleasant, savory on soft spices, creamy thanks to its 100% MLF, and enticing oak touch coming from the 35% new French oak the wine was seating on. Great price point considering the quantity produced (1,200 cases) and where it comes from. Cheers! — 7 months ago
Well, glad I kept this for another 6 years to see how it evolved. Cork was in amazing shape. Brick red. Almost tawny in glass. Dried flowers and herbs on the nose. Not a lot of fruit on the nose. Palate is more dried flowers, roses, leather, the faintest touch of pouch tobacco, plums, dried fig, maybe persimmon. It dries the mouth with tannin and acidity. Definitely secondary flavors starting. Probably the best wine deal I’ve ever had for this type of quality. Wish I had one more to try in 2028. — 9 months ago
Yum! Cranberry-rhubarb-rose water mid-summer glory. Low ABV, enough acidity to scrub a couple layers of enamel off your teeth. Perfection with fresh heirlooms, BBQ chicken, and cold spicy peanut noodles….I love basque Tzakolina with its vivacious light pink personality. Note to self: purchase a boatload before it’s gone. — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
2023 vintage. 08.22.25. — 3 months ago