Look for ‘estate grown’ on the label: It’s a cheat code for better wine
This chardonnay from Cuvaison in Napa Valley is estate grown, meaning the vintner had control over every aspect of the grape production — making for a well-crafted wine with a long, resonant finish.
Cuvaison Chardonnay
Napa Valley, California
$24.99 14.2% alcohol
PLCB Item #8150
Sale price through 6/1 – regularly $29.99
The label of this respected Napa Valley chardonnay features a gold badge proclaiming it to be “estate grown.” To the average shopper, this statement may not seem meaningful, but to an expert, it strongly hints that the wine will be better than average in quality.
On wine labels, the term “estate” is regulated; it refers to a very specific type of ownership. In order for a wine to qualify for a designation like “estate grown” or “estate bottled,” 100 percent of the grapes used to make that particular wine must have been grown in vineyards that are owned by that winery.
The vast majority of wines are not estate grown. Rather, they’re made from purchased fruit — grapes grown by a vineyard owner who sells their crop to a winery. Vintners who own their own vineyards have more control over grape quality. Decisions about how to prune the vines, whether to farm organically, how tightly to restrict yields per vine and when to pick the grapes have more impact on wine quality than what kind of barrels are used or anything else done after harvest. As a result, estate wines are usually superior, which explains why they also command higher prices.
The difference is not so much in the wine’s basic flavor profile — in this instance, featuring flavors of golden apples and creamy flan — as in its balance and finish. This chardonnay is nicely poised at a midpoint between tartness and richness, and features the long, resonant finish that is the hallmark of well-crafted wines. It will make a luxurious accompaniment to creamy cheese and pastas, roasted poultry, seared seafood dishes and almost anything topped with melted butter.