MAXEM UV Vineyard Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2019

Sam Kaplan has been making noteworthy and collectible Cabernets for his high-end clients including Memento Mori, Arkenstone, Vangone Estate and formerly of Nine Suns, all of which are ultra-premium brands made with meticulous care from pristinely farmed vineyards. MAXEM, however, is his own personal project, one that has become as coveted and sought-after as the other brands he makes wines for. "For nearly two decades we've helped people fulfill their dreams. Now it's our turn." ~Sam and Nancy Kaplan

Conceptualized and produced alongside his wife, Nancy, a chef who has spent her career crafting Michelin-star cuisine in some of the best restaurants in New York City and later on in Napa Valley, these two have combined their talents and dreams to create what we at ACME enthusiastically feel is an exceptional reality! The name MAXEM is the combination of their children's names, Max and Emma, but in Latin it also means "best of the best."

Both fresh and flinty, the 2019 Chardonnay has a sense of focus and intensity. The wine will knock you off your feet with intoxicating aromas of crushed rocks and chalk dust over a core of white peaches, juicy pears and a faint hint of toasted almonds. Medium to full-bodied, it is wonderfully expressive with heaps of stone fruit and spicy layers, finishing with great length. Lively with vibrant acidity and a crystal clean finish, this Chardonnay will make your mouth water and leave you begging for more. This UV Vineyard fruit is 100% Old Wente clone, planted less than six miles from the Pacific Ocean where the maritime influences surround the entire area with warm, sun-dappled afternoons refreshed by cool ocean breezes. Truly, these conditions are the perfect combination to capture the very best, most exquisite Chardonnay in California. Fermented in a combination of new French oak barrels and concrete tanks and then aged for 15 months, the wine is electric. Only 200 cases produced.