Established in 1969, back when Napa had only a few wineries, Cuvaison produces Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown exclusively on its estate vineyard in the heart of the world-renown region of Carneros in Napa Valley. Cooled by fog from the San Pablo Bay, the rolling hills of this certified sustainable estate has produced distinctive Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for over 30 years. Cuvaison has been profoundly influenced by their owners, the Schmidheiny family of Switzerland. These fourth-generation vintners purchased the winery in 1979. Since the beginning they have been dedicated to a philosophy of producing vineyard-driven wines. Cuvaison employs block by block farming methods and a hand-crafted vineyard-to-bottle winemaking approach; the resulting wines are balanced and complex, showcasing the distinctive characteristics of this cool climate estate. Cuvaison is part of Two Estates Wine Collective, which also farms Brandlin Vineyard, a Napa Valley estate on Mt. Veeder.

Cuvaison continues to take advantage of perfect growing conditions to produce Chardonnays of distinct vineyard character, wonderful balance, and complexity.

The 2021 Cuvaison Coeurtina Chardonnay is grown from Cortina loam that runs through the east - southeast portion of the estate. The color opens with a beautiful glistening yellow with aromas of lemon blossom, orange rind, and a whiff of nutmeg. The palate is fresh, juicy, and expansive with flavors of stone fruit, spice, and acidity that is mouthwatering and delicious. The texture is sumptuous and maintains a wonderful balance that lingers on the finish that goes on and on. The Cuvaison Coeurtina Chardonnay is great to drink now, but should develop more depth with time in the bottle.

By Perry Miroballi