Duckhorn Vineyards, Napa Valley (California) Chardonnay 2016

 If you take a sip and close your eyes you can taste the bright California sun shining down on the grapes.  These Chardonnay flavors are rich, ripe and concentrated, with peaches and other stone fruits dominating the mix.  The overall buttery richness is supported by oak and vanilla tempered by just enough acidity. Some tasters might find this vintage a little too assertive, but you can tame its dominatrix tendencies by serving it with food, especially richly flavored and textured dishes.  When I paired it recently with veal schnitzel topped with mushroom sauce, the wine purred and wrapped itself deliciously around the dish’s complex network of taste and texture.