Benton Family Wines (Croze & Smith Wooten) was founded in 1997 to produce handcrafted Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Avatar became the embodiment of the philosophy of its winemaker. Croze produced its first Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon using the CROZE label in 1998. 2019 marks our 20th year of production.

This is one of the few remaining mid- valley Chardonnay vineyards. It is owned and farmed by Jim Simpson, a truly gifted grower of grapes as well as fine vegetables for Napa Valley's premier restaurants.

TASTING PROFILE

"The 2019 Croze Chardonnay is a clean, focused style which brings to mind baked apples in a savory homemade crust. There are cascades of brown spices and Honey Crisp apple. This is a standout Napa Chardonnay in a sea of the usual oaky, buttery style. This darling is all about the purity of the fruit and the subtleties of a confident wine." Gabrielle Shaffer - Sommelier

VINEYARD NOTES
Grapes for our 2019 CROZE Chardonnay came from Simone Vineyard, a ten acre parcel In Napa Valley's Oak Knoll District, which yields 20 - 25 tons of fruit.

PRODUCTION NOTES
The juice was barrel fermented and then aged In French oak for 11 months. This wine was fermented sur lie, no malo-lactic inoculation (ML).

WINEMAKER NOTES
This style of Old-World winemaking allows for rich complexity but maintains the vibrant acidity of the wine.

Barrel Aging: 11 Months in French Oak Barrels
ABV 13.5%