2005 Merryvale Silhouette Chardonnay

Winemaking

Silhouette is Merryvale’s limited production, flagship white wine containing our very best Napa Valley and Carneros Chardonnay, including fruit from our Stanly Ranch Estate and the famed Hyde Vineyard.  The grapes for Silhouette are handpicked, hand sorted and whole cluster pressed before undergoing native primary and malolactic fermentation in barrels, with monthly stirring on the lees. We bottle Silhouette unfined and unfiltered.

Tasting Notes      

Bright notes of tangerine, ripe peach, nectarine, and pineapple are complemented by rich notes of honey, nutmeg, toasted hazelnuts and vanilla bean crème brûlée. The lively entry leads into a concentrated, fruit driven mid-palate, with notes of citrus and ripe stone fruit. The finish is framed by notes of grilled apricots, toasted brioche and subtle minerality. Silhouette is our most age-worthy white wine.  It will gain complexity over the next 5-10 years.