Stag's Leap Wine Cellars house spotlight
Official Stag's Leap Wine Cellars film of KARIA Chardonnay. The estate presents the graceful southern Napa white from the house of S.L.V. and FAY.
The market on this bottle
Wine-Searcher tracks this 2024 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 'Karia' Chardonnay Napa Valley across the open market. Their published U.S. low is $29.08 and the average is $34.36. Our slash is $27.00.
2024 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 'Karia' Chardonnay Napa Valley, USA
Marcus Notaro's graceful KARIA, southern Napa citrus and creme brulee, a 93-point Chardonnay at thirty dollars.
The 2024 KARIA is 100 percent Chardonnay from Atlas Peak, Carneros, Coombsville, and Oak Knoll. White peach, lemon-lime, honeydew, honeysuckle, a whisper of clove, now $27.
The Stag's Leap name in a white that stays light on its feet
KARIA is Greek for graceful, and Marcus Notaro builds it that way. Southern Napa fruit, whole-cluster press, eight months sur lie in French oak, 39 percent new, 13 percent alcohol. Vinous 93. Wine Enthusiast 92. Creamy enough for lobster, bright enough for brown butter.
The house
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is known first for S.L.V. and FAY. KARIA is the estate's graceful Chardonnay lane.
The wine
Atlas Peak, Carneros, Coombsville, Oak Knoll. Whole-cluster pressed, 8 months sur lie, 39% new French oak.
The vintage
The winery describes 2024 as warmer than 2023, harvest about three weeks earlier, whites with bright flavors and crisp acidity.
The drinker
Serve 48 to 52 F. No decant. Butter lobster risotto or squash ravioli with hazelnut brown butter.
Citrus, white peach, cream, and graceful oak
Think lemon-lime, white peach, honeydew, honeysuckle, quince, creme brulee, clove, vanilla, and a persistent oak-kissed finish.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars describes 2024 as warmer than 2023, with a cool spring, rising warmth in May and June, a July heat spike, and harvest about three weeks earlier. The 2024 whites show bright flavors, crisp acidity, and complexity.
White peach, lemon-lime, honeydew, quince, tangerine oil, honeysuckle.
Medium-bodied, velvety, firm acidity, 13% ABV, 8 months sur lie.
Oak-kissed, persistent, clean. Serve 48 to 52 F. No decant.
Freshness first, oak in moderation
Marcus Notaro harvests early in the morning and whole-cluster presses KARIA so citrus and mineral detail stay in front. Oak aging and malolactic fermentation are applied in moderation. The 2024 is 100 percent Chardonnay, eight months sur lie in 100 percent French oak with 39 percent new barrels, finished at 13 percent alcohol. The winemaking supports the fruit instead of burying it.
Atlas Peak fruit adds lemon-lime and a richer mouthfeel. Carneros contributes citrus and mineral notes. Coombsville and Oak Knoll bring perfume, apple, and pear.
Serve chilled but not icy. A few minutes in the glass lets oak spice and creme brulee settle with the citrus.
A graceful white from a landmark Napa name
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is known first for historic Napa reds. KARIA shows the estate's lighter Chardonnay side.
The word KARIA comes from a Greek word meaning graceful, and that idea shapes the wine's identity. Light, elegant, harmonious rather than heavy-handed.
The house that made S.L.V. famous still wants citrus through cream. Southern Napa sites, not a generic valley blend, do that work.
KARIA is the bottle for seafood, richer poultry, and a Napa white that does not need a speech.
Rich enough for lobster, bright enough for brown butter
Citrus, cream, oak spice, and acidity partner with buttery seafood, risotto, squash, hazelnuts, and sage.
Two plates. One butter lobster risotto. One butternut squash ravioli with hazelnut brown butter.
Serve chilled but not icy, around 48 to 52 F. Letting the glass warm slightly helps oak spice and creme brulee come forward.
Butter Lobster Risotto
Butter-poached lobster and creamy corn risotto lean into the luxurious side of this Chardonnay.
Why it works: Lobster and risotto match the velvety texture. Corn, lemon, and butter echo white peach, citrus, vanilla, and creme brulee.
View Recipe for Butter Lobster Risotto (opens in a new tab)
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown Butter
Brown butter, sage, and hazelnuts draw out oak spice, clove, vanilla, and marzipan.
Why it works: Brown butter and hazelnuts connect to oak and marzipan. Sage gives a savory counterpoint to citrus and floral lift.
View Recipe for Butternut Squash Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown Butter (opens in a new tab)Open KARIA tonight
Marcus Notaro's graceful Napa Chardonnay, Vinous 93, citrus and cream. Thirty dollars.
Put it in the cart. This is the Stag's Leap white you can pour without waiting.
