Appearance pale amber
Aromas tangerine, apricot, baked pear, brown sugar, vanilla bean, caramel, candied ginger, wet firewood
Palate apple pie, orange peel, butterscotch, honey roasted hazelnut, rich and full bodied with clean acidity and long lingering finish
Food Pairing Suggestions
Sip it after dinner or try pairing this late harvest Chardonnay wine with different types of desserts, such as cheesecake or apple pies. As a rule of thumb, the dessert wine should be at least as sweet as the food.
Production
150 cases
Alcohol
14.7%
Aging Potential
Enjoy now through 2030
Accolades
“The 2011 La Chica Late Harvest White Wine is Chardonnay that was infected with natural botrytis (otherwise known as noble rot) in the vineyard and then harvested late in the year after the grapes turned raisin like (they become desiccated due to the botrytis spores growing on the bunches of grapes). This is 100% Chardonnay. We are often leery of one-off California desert wines made in this style due to too much residual sugar, heavy texture and sometimes cloyingly sweet finishes. Not so with this wine. Very dark amber in color it offers aromas of honeycomb, honeysuckle, caramel, toffee and ripe apricot. Has a leanness on the palate but with a gentle texture – the sweetness is there, but is nicely tempered by the acid. Balanced. Flavors of golden delicious apple, pear, peach, nectarine and almond. Clean bright finish. A wine definitely worth seeking out for dessert wine enthusiasts.” – Dave, Napa Wine Project
Winemaker Notes
La Chica-Made in honor of my sweet, angelic wife, Miriam. Harmonized into one, this wine and La Chica express similarities, everlasting sweetness, richness, and a perfect balance of sweet and crisp. This delicate wine will have you falling in love all over again, just like I do daily.– Proprietor/Winemaker Juan Jose Puentes