5143
Six Bottle Case Estate Wines
Croix Estate, Calistoga
www.croixestate.com

Three bottles each of 2013 Old Manzana Slope Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, and, 2014 Starling Morelli Roost Chardonnay, Russian River Valley.

Winemaking is in the blood of Croix Proprietor and Winemaker, Kirk Venge, one of today’s premiere vintners with a family lineage of winemaking excellence. Both traditional and progressive wine production techniques are embraced while remaining focused on a core belief: Only fruit grown from select vineyard sources, handled gently and naturally, produce wine worthy of bottling under the Croix name.

The Old Manzana Slope Pinot Noir is a fuller and broader style of Pinot Noir. The nose opens with aromatic concentrations of sweet earth, rose water, black cherries and allspice. The palate is exotic, expansive and finishes with substantial length. Anticipated maturity window: 2016 to 2024.Only 100 cases produced.

The Starling Morelli Roost Chardonnay has a bouquet of raw honey, marmalade, fresh citrus zest, toasted pine nuts, rocky flints, all spice, toasted oak and lusciousness. Island ripe pineapple, apple, stone fruit, and crisp pear fill the mouth. Anticipated maturity window: 2016 to 2025. Only 150 cases produced.