Chateau Woltner – Frederique Vineyard – 1991

“Chateau” (note, though, “a” not “â”) seems an incongruous, even rather aggrandising name for an American winery – but permissible perhaps, since it was founded by Frenchmen, way back in 1877, although they called it something else – “Nouveau Medoc Vineyard”, California’s 13^th registered winery. (Who knows what the winery did during prohibition.) Under the current geographical designation, it lies within the Howell Mountain AVA, or American Viticultural Area, one of 16 AVAs within the Napa Valley AVA. (Itself within the North Coast AVA).

The Frederique was one of three vineyard-designated Chardonnays made by the Chateau, all in a non-malolactic style, with French and not American oak.

“Proper, not over-done Burgundy” comes the verdict from the other side of the table. The bouquet is somewhere between Chablis and Montrachet; lemon, with some richer fruit, mineral, and not over-oaked. Very dry, soft, subtle, elegant, and unassuming. I’d never guess this was from the New World. Quite discreet for a ’91 – I might expect it to have evolved further from the mean after 20 years.

Chateau Woltner wines are now a piece of history – the vineyard has since been turned over to Cabernet Sauvignon under the Ladera label (which Parker rates quite highly).