Ana’s expertise and passion for winemaking is clear from the first sips of elegant and impressive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Artesa Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2013 Carneros Napa Valley
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Suggested Retail Price: $40
Artesa Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2013 Carneros Napa Valley
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Suggested Retail Price $40
Artesa Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are great wines to keep on hand year around for their finesse and versatility with all four seasons, weather and food pairings. They are both perfect for sipping and complementing a variety of foods though out the year.
About the winemaker:
The Artesa winemaking team is led by Ana Diogo-Draper, Director of Wine Making. She was born in Portugal and has been in Napa since 2005. She brings her knowledge and experience to Artesa to truly give us the best expression of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals.
About the vineyards:
Artesa Winery is located on a hilltop along the northern boundary of the newly-created Carneros AVA.
Cool breezes, rocky soils and Ana’s expertise merges to create wines with power and elegance. The rocky soil and cool breezes contribute to a terroir-driven minerality and come together to create versatile and food friendly wine with balanced fruit, fresh acidity and complexity. The rocky soils are perfect for estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. They are farmed by block, hand-harvested and fermented by wild yeast and puncheon to preserve the character of every component in the wines.
About the Wines:
Artesa Chardonnay 2013 is clear lemon color with juicy fresh citrus on the palate and delicate floral aromas on the nose.From the first sip, I was reminded of one of my favorite desserts, homemade lemon bars with refreshing tart lemony custard and a hint of real butter in the background allowing the fruit flavors to to be front and center without being overwhelmed by too much oak (buttery flavor). This is the style of Chardonnay I enjoy.
Artesa Chardonnay 2013 is a food friendly wine and would be the perfect accompaniment for fried chicken, seared scallops with a lemon butter glaze or a butter and garlic-infused seafood linguini with fresh basil.
This is especially a warm weather friendly wine. Great for just sipping with your favorite creamy cheeses or any baked or broiled seafood or chicken dish.
Artesa Pinot Noir 2013 is a lively mix of delicate ripe red cherries and tangy red raspberries with bright ruby red color and fresh berry aromas. I get fresh summer raspberries and cherries on the palate. Artesia Pinot Noir is a perfect balance between fruit and earth.
Although this is a fruit driven wine, the fruit is not overpowering. Hints of warm spices and smoke makes this a perfect summer time wine for marinated, smoky grilled chicken or crispy grilled salmon over a strawberry and goat cheese salad with toasted walnuts and tangy balsamic vinaigrette. It is also the perfect wine for cool weather food such as oven roasted meats and vegetables or one of my favorites, smoked duck breast with a berry sauce.
I thoroughly enjoyed every sip of the Artesa wines and recommend that you make these your go-to wines for every season, especially now for the summer!
I have a bottle of the Chardonnay I’ve been waiting to open until the weather warms up a tad, but I opened the Pinot Noir a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Definitely a wine I’d love to pair with a grilled chicken with strawberry and goat cheese salad.
I absolutely loved the Artesa wines! Thank you, Alleigh