The beautiful pale yellow color of the 2018 Amalia Chardonnay glimmers in the glass. Its aromatic notes of honeysuckle and tart green apple entice you to dive in. Hints of mango and papaya dance across the palate perfectly balanced with a splash of white pepper and toasted honeycomb. The finish is everlasting; begging for shrimp quenelles or even a pan seared squab.
Producing great wine begins with the vineyard, and tending to the vines at Palmaz is done with a full-time vineyard team. Two generations of the Palmaz family have sought to bring innovation and invention to the ancient art of making wine. Their background in the sciences, passion for living life to the fullest and years of backbreaking work have resulted in a unique winery situated inside an 18-story cave that combines cutting-edge technology with a respect for the winemaking tradition.
The property, originally purchased by Henry Hagen in 1881, was first known as Cedar Knoll Vineyard and Winery. Upon his death in 1895 his family chose not to continue the business and it was fully abandoned in 1919 with the arrival of Prohibition until it was purchased by the Palmaz family in the late 1990s. The Palmaz family set about restoring the property to its former glory.
Julio and Amalia Palmaz always believed that the land could produce excellent wine for generations to come if it was given the proper attention and care. With the help of their children they set about creating a winery that leverages tradition and technology in the service of crafting great vintages. The result is a 600-acre estate with 64 acres of vineyard that produce truly modern vintages, thanks to the technology harnessed in support of the art of winemaking.
750ML / 14.5% ABV