The 2019 Chardonnay Arcadia Vineyard is 99% Chardonnay and 1% Muscat Canelli. Closed to begin, it slowly unfurls to reveal notes of white peaches and golden delicious apples plus nutmeg, shaved almonds and baking bread. Medium to full-bodied with lovely balance and purity, it finishes with a spicy lift.

The 2018 Chardonnay Arcadia Vineyard needs a little swirling at this youthful stage to release the drop-dead gorgeous notions of lemon meringue pie, honey-drizzled white peaches and orange blossoms, plus suggestions of almond croissant and candied ginger. The elegantly styled, medium-bodied palate has a beautiful satiny mouthfeel, delivering mouth-coating stone fruit and citrus layers with a long, savory finish.

The 2017 Chardonnay Arcadia Vineyard leaps from the glass with vibrant notions of white peaches, guava and lemon curd plus hints of crème br?lée, honeyed toast, cedar and mandarin peel. Medium to full-bodied, it has a pleasant oiliness to the texture and bags of flavor, finishing long and toasty.

There are about 1,000 cases of the 2009 Chardonnay Arcadia Vineyard from the Coombsville appellation. This is the personal vineyard of the previous proprietor, Warren Winiarski. Its light straw color is accompanied by notes of crushed rocks, white currants, citrus blossoms and nectarines. The wine possesses good acidity, a subtle, incremental building of flavors and intensity, medium body and a stony, Chablis-like personality. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. Dramatic improvements are clearly underway at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, which was sold to a consortium led by Tuscany’s Piero Antinori in 2007. Antinori brought in well-known consultant Renzo Cotarella to improve the quality and, hopefully, get this winery back to the lofty heights it achieved in the seventies and early eighties. They seem to be well on their way, which is good news for consumers. This is a large estate of 104 acres, all situated as one giant block of vineyards in the southern part of the Stags Leap appellation. The change in ownership and winemaking staff shows progressive improvement with each vintage starting with 2007. The 2009s look to be their best wines to date. As for the 2007 reds, normally four cuvees are produced, all based on Cabernet Sauvignon, including the Cask 23, which comes from the best lots from the Fay and S.L.V. estate vineyards after fermentations are completed. The most impressive Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ offerings made since the 1985 vintage are the three 2009s I was permitted to taste from barrel. Tel. (707) 944-2020; Fax (707) 257-7501

An elaborate Chardonnay, ripe in orange, apple and pear flavors. Oak adds the usual notes of buttered toast. It’s rich and flashy, but despite a vibrant minerality, it lacks that drink-me-again factor. ——S.H.(2/1/2012)—— 87