FORMAN CHARDONNAY NAPA 2021

Napa Chardonnay at this level of restraint is rare — malolactic fermentation blocked entirely, which keeps acidity sharp and lets lemon oil, white flowers, and white pepper stay focused rather than softened into butter. Ric Forman farms the wine himself in St. Helena, a producer better known for Cabernet who has quietly turned out precise, non-interventionist Chardonnay for decades. Extended lees aging builds texture without weight. The palate runs through chalk and mint before finishing clean and linear — a cool-climate style from a warm valley.