2019 Frank Family Vineyard Chardonnay Napa Valley (375 mL) Half-Bottle

Founded in 1992 by television and film executive Rich Frank and housed in the 1884 ghost winery where Larkmead once resided, Frank Family Vineyards remains one of the most successful wineries in the Napa Valley—and it’s not just us saying it. In early 2022, Napa Valley Life magazine’s Best of Napa Valley Reader’s Choice Awards named Frank Family “Best Tasting Room” and their long-term winemaker, Todd Graff, “Best Local Winemaker.”

There is a customer-centric focus that you can sense at Frank Family. It inspires fierce loyalty in their customer base—who the winery refers to as “Guests”—and this 2019 Chardonnay is a perfect example why. It’s in a creamy, consumer-friendly format that will appeal to fans of Lewis and Rombauer, but its cool-climate fruit still has enough zippy acidity to balance out the whole package. 

Frank Family sources the grapes for this wine primarily from their Lewis Vineyard, deep in the foggy heart of Carneros. Some pretty fancy neighbors find their way into this blend too, such as Beckstoffer Vineyards and Hudson Vineyards, both located on the Napa side of Carneros. On the Sonoma side of Carneros, the legendary Sangiacomo Vineyards also lends an important voice to this stellar set of sources. 

The Chardonnay undergoes a long, cold primary fermentation and then goes through malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity and round off the wine’s corners. Bâtonnage (stirring the lees by hand) also gives weight, depth, and toasty notes to the finished product. It’s a wine with the texture and complexity Graff always strives for, and it’s one of Napa Valley’s most consistent crowd-pleasers.