Chardonnay "Reserve", Plumpjack, Napa Valley, CA, 2023 (Aaron Miller)

The winery’s description says the wine combines:

• Carneros fruit: fresh green apple and Bartlett pear, with bright, lively acidity.
• St. Helena fruit: richer texture and some tropical notes.
• Oak: subtle vanilla, flint and spice.
• Winemaking: notably, it does not undergo malolactic fermentation, preserving freshness rather than creating a buttery style.

The 2023 is described as rich and creamy but notably fresh, with lemon, green apple, pear, melon, honeysuckle, wet stone and subtle oak spice. It avoids the buttery profile because it undergoes no malolactic fermentation.