2017 Laird Family Estate Red Hen Ranch Chardonnay Napa Valley 750 ml

Ken Laird has been farming in Napa Valley for over 50 vintages. He works with 60+ wineries there—including big-name players like Duckhorn, Cakebread, and Lewis—and while he’s an open book about most of his sites, there is one whose client list remains completely confidential. 

That would be his superb Red Hen Vineyard. Thanks to its prime position in Oak Knoll and the rare See’s clone of Chardonnay—a variant of the Old Wente clone, which is prized for its low yield and aromatic intensity—it’s an INCREDIBLY sought-after site, with clients lining up to claim a few rows. 

We can’t tell you exactly who is getting the gorgeous Chardonnay from Red Hen, but we do know one thing: Laird and winemaker Brian Mox ensure some of the best rows go into their own Laird Family Estate Red Hen Ranch bottling—and the 2017 is a stunner. Luscious, silky, with a long, lactic finish, it’s a spot-on value for the kind of Chardonnay that made Napa famous. 

Nothing beats the Napa Valley floor for Chardonnay lusciousness and power. It’s why producers like Forman, El Molino, and Signorello love its old vines and warm sites—but many of these are getting overtaken by Cabernet Sauvignon. That’s why some big-name Napa houses look to Laird’s Red Hen Vineyard to add weight and aroma to their wines.

Mox has a world-class facility to work in, a custom-crush operation at Laird where Aubert and Corra have made their wines. It’s only a matter of time before the wider wine world catches on to the incredible value offered by Laird, but until then we know Wine Access members will keep wines like the Red Hen Chardonnay to themselves.