A balance of apple and pear flavors make this Napa chardonnay light and tangy

In a global wine market, it can be hard to find bottles from small, independent family-owned wineries without visiting wine country. There are a few in Pennsylvania stores, though, like this one from the Trefethen family in Napa Valley. Most wineries do not own or manage vineyards. Instead, they purchase fruit from grape growers, who own and cultivate vineyards. However, a few vintners like the Trefethens are what is known in the trade as “estate” wine producers, meaning that they own and manage their own vineyards. Vintners have far more control over critical quality factors like crop yield when they grow their own grapes, which helps explain why almost all of the world’s best wines are estate wines. To improve wine quality, they are also far more likely to manage their vineyard with little or no chemical intervention in a sustainable fashion. Such vineyards are more difficult to cultivate and yield far less fruit, but their grapes make better, more age-worthy wines.

The Trefethen family makes a number of chardonnays, of which Double T is an easy-drinking and approachable younger sibling to their weightier and more complex premium cuvées. While it is made solely with estate fruit, it is made in the style known as “partial barrel,” where a portion of the wine is fermented in small oak barrels to enrich and concentrate the wine, while the remainder is fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve vibrancy and freshness. This provides the wine with a lovely balance in its apple, pear, and pecan flavors that would make Goldilocks proud; not too rich and oaky, not too light and tangy, it’s just right! If you enjoy it, bear in mind that future vintages in this line will be called “Eschol” in reference to the vineyard property, rather than “Double T.”

PLCB Item #98758

Sale price through Feb. 28 – regularly $17.99

Also available at:

Canal’s Bottlestop in Marlton — $12.49

Berkley Fine Wine & Spirits in Clarksboro — $13.99

Traino’s Wine & Spirits in Mount Laurel and Voorhees — $16.99