Sterling Vineyards 'Napa' Chardonnay 2017

James Suckling 92
A pretty, creamy white with cooked-apple and lemon-meringue character. Lovely texture. Just a hint of yogurt. Flavorful finish.

Fragrant aromas of crisp apple, citrus led by lemon zest and lime, lemon crme and toasted hazelnut lead to a richly textured wine with layers of similar flavors, enhanced with a honey almond and stone fruit character. A luminous, pale gold color hints at the nicely balanced and elegant entry with bright acidity and creamy roundness. The finish is persistent and memorable.~Winemakers Notes

Visitors to the winery take a short cable car ride from the main entrance to the villa and distillery which sits upon a hill looking over the Napa Valley. Sterling Vineyards farms 1,200 acres (486 ha) of vines in various parts of Napa Valley. Production emphasizes Bordeaux and Burgundy-style wines, and is split in several tiers: the entry-level "Napa Valley" wines for which it is most famous, "Reserve" wines (their highest level), "Single Vineyard" wines (specialty wines for enthusiasts), "Vintner's Collection" (value wines for restaurants and mass distribution), and "Cellar Club" (limited production and eclectic wines for their wine club members). Sterling Vineyards is a popular destination for tourists, in part for an aerial tram that shuttles visitors from a parking lot to the winery, which sits on a volcanic hill 300 feet (91 m) above the valley floor. The building is designed to appear like the white villages of the Greek island Mykonos, and incorporates bells from St. Dunstans's in London, England, a church destroyed in World War II.