There are about 1,000 cases of the 2009 Chardonnay Arcadia Vineyard from the Coombsville appellation. This is the personal vineyard of the previous proprietor, Warren Winiarski. Its light straw color is accompanied by notes of crushed rocks, white currants, citrus blossoms and nectarines. The wine possesses good acidity, a subtle, incremental building of flavors and intensity, medium body and a stony, Chablis-like personality. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. Dramatic improvements are clearly underway at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, which was sold to a consortium led by Tuscany’s Piero Antinori in 2007. Antinori brought in well-known consultant Renzo Cotarella to improve the quality and, hopefully, get this winery back to the lofty heights it achieved in the seventies and early eighties. They seem to be well on their way, which is good news for consumers. This is a large estate of 104 acres, all situated as one giant block of vineyards in the southern part of the Stags Leap appellation. The change in ownership and winemaking staff shows progressive improvement with each vintage starting with 2007. The 2009s look to be their best wines to date. As for the 2007 reds, normally four cuvees are produced, all based on Cabernet Sauvignon, including the Cask 23, which comes from the best lots from the Fay and S.L.V. estate vineyards after fermentations are completed. The most impressive Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ offerings made since the 1985 vintage are the three 2009s I was permitted to taste from barrel. Tel. (707) 944-2020; Fax (707) 257-7501

An elaborate Chardonnay, ripe in orange, apple and pear flavors. Oak adds the usual notes of buttered toast. It’s rich and flashy, but despite a vibrant minerality, it lacks that drink-me-again factor. ——S.H.(2/1/2012)—— 87