2021 Silenus - Chardonnay Napa (750ml)

Silenus Winery traces its roots to 1968, when a walnut orchard in the southwestern corner of Napa Valley was replanted to vine by Bruce Newlan, a former rocket scientist who fell in love with the region during vacations there. That property, now part of the Oak Knoll District, laid the foundation for what would become Silenus. The estate has passed through several owners since, but it remains committed to small-lot winemaking centered on this stretch of southern Napa, where a longer, cooler growing season allows fruit to ripen slowly and evenly.

This Chardonnay comes from the Materra Vineyard, situated near the Napa River within the Oak Knoll District, an area known for morning fog and mild afternoons that extend hang time on the vine. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed, then the juice settled briefly before moving into French oak barrels, thirty percent of them new. The wine spent ten months aging sur lie, a process that builds texture and complexity while keeping the fruit character bright rather than heavy.

Aromas of honeydew melon, lemon verbena, and green apple lead into a palate rounded out by white nectarine, pear, and a touch of praline. The oak influence stays subtle, layered beneath the fruit rather than dominating it, and the finish carries a creamy richness balanced by crisp acidity. It pairs nicely with pan-seared scallops, roast chicken, or a wedge of aged gouda.