2021 Keenan Chardonnay, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
93 Points – James Suckling (March 2023)
Tasting Notes
The finished wine shows citrus, ripe pear, and green apple in the nose. Hints of lush white peach are noticed as the wine opens up. The sur-lie aging has added richness and complexity, and a touch of toasty oak returns to the finish. Like all of Keenan’s wines, this Chardonnay is a food-worthy wine whose crisp acidity and medium body will accompany a wide variety of cuisine.
Vineyard Notes
Keenan’s 2021 Chardonnay was hand-harvested, de-stemmed, and then gently pressed. The juice was fermented and aged in French and American oak barrels. The wine was left on the lees and the barrels were stirred weekly. No secondary, or malolactic fermentation was carried out, leading to the crisp, citrus character of this wine. The wine was bottled after approximately seven months of aging in the cellar.
“This has a chalky character with sliced apples and pears and hints of lemon zest and dried herbs. Medium- to full-bodied with a creamy, weighty palate, yet the crisp acidity adds freshness and tone. Lingering, textural finish with hints of caramel and pastry. Drink or hold.” –James Suckling
Specs
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Chardonnay
Appellation: Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
Alcohol: 13.9%
pH: 3.39
Residual Sugar: Dry
Total Acidity: 0.66 grams/100ml
Bottling Date: 05/05/2022
Production: 2,370 Cases
What’s Included
3-bottles:
3x 2021 Keenan Chardonnay, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley Case:
12x 2021 Keenan Chardonnay, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
Keenan focuses on three varietals – Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. It produces nearly 14,000 cases per year. Combining the dedication of experienced winemakers with a commitment to excellence, the Robert Keenan Winery has distinguished itself as a maker of exceptional wines-- in limited varietals and quantity. Wines for sipping, wines for enjoying, wines for enhancing any occasion. In the last eight vintages, 42 wines have been rated between 90 and 97 points by Robert Parker Jr.
History
High in the Mayacamas Range, at an elevation of 1,700 feet above the Napa Valley floor, are Spring Mountain and the Robert Keenan Winery and vineyards. This area was first identified as prime vineyard land by Peter Conradi in the late 19th century when he planted 100 acres of terraced vineyard in Zinfandel and Syrah grapes. The Conradi Winery operated until Prohibition when the vineyards and winery fell out of use. In 1974, Robert Keenan purchased 180 acres of forest on the defunct Conradi Winery site. No vines remained. Only the crumbling walls of the former winery and a few old broken tanks told of its history, but Robert was certain the mountain top vineyards would be perfect for an estate winery. He replaced tree stumps and rocks with rows of Cabernet and Chardonnay, hired an engineer to redesign the original winery structure, and brought in a contractor to begin construction. The winery was made operational just in time for the harvest of 1977. From that time on, Keenan has earned a great reputation for producing wines of intense character and renowned acclaim.
Commitment to Quality
Robert Keenan Winery combines both the art and science of winemaking with a relentless passion for producing fine wines for your enjoyment. From using only the finest grapes to the Portuguese cork in the bottle, the Keenan commitment to quality is consistent. The wine is testament to these efforts. One taste and you will note the Keenan difference. However, why limit yourself to only one taste?
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
I received this bottle last week, popped in the wine fridge, knowing I had a wonderful bottle of Chardonnay waiting for me after a long weekend of travel. With my hubby traveling this week, I also knew I’d be LabRatting this Kennan 2021 Chardonnay Napa Valley Spring Mountain District all by myself and watching the Nuggets play the Timberwolves - just me and the pups!
Today the phone rang. It’s my daughter, asking if she could stop by for dinner. I was truly excited, ran to the store and planned the meal for our little LabRat dinner party for two! She loved joining in on the LabRat fun!
Ok…. On with the LabRat review!
This Keenan 2021 Chardonnay is crisp and sophisticated!! It deserves the upmost respect for the perfect food pairing. Skip the charcuterie and bring on the culinary skills, perfect for a spring time dinner menu.
Out of the bottle, I found aroma’s of soft white peach, green apple and citrus with a hit of minerals.
On the palate – There’s a zing of grapefruit forward, followed by the the crispness of green apple. The finish engulfs with a buttery crispness, with hints of peach and a tad bit of oak to help balance out the acidity, which makes perfect to pair.
Please do this chardonnay justice with a pairing of pork, grilled chicken, seafood dish, pasta, etc. My menu choice for the evening was chicken with lemon, white wine** and butter sauce over pappardelle and an arugula salad with lemon/OV dressing.
** No Keenan Chardonnay was used in the making my chicken pasta dish
It’s a crisp dry chardonnay with a beautiful balance with a perfect finish. Spoil yourself and your taste buds…Grab this!!!
@TimW it was! This bottle is perfect for a dinner party of 2 . If you’re having a bigger party, your gone need that case, that’s if you’re willing to share!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2021 Keenan Napa Valley Chardonnay - $80 = 23.53%
In addition to Suckling, Wine&Spirits (which by the way will no longer be in print but hopes to continue an online presence)
92 points. Keenan’s high-elevation chardonnay is earthy and savory, layering scents of chamomile and dry peach, caramel and pear. The flavors last on that caramel-pear richness while not getting sticky, instead holding to mountain-grown tension. Pleasingly rich and bright. 4/23
Wine Advocate. 88 points. Barrel fermented in French oak (30% new) but with malolactic fermentation blocked, Keenan’s 2021 Chardonnay offers up aromas of cinnamon-dusted toast, yellow plum and lime. In the mouth, it’s medium-bodied, quite linear and direct, without much flesh yet vibrant and refreshing, with a lick of wet stone on the finish. Drink 2022 - 2027 Joe Czerwinski 3/31/23
Dave, the Napa Wine Project. The 2021 Robert Keenan Chardonnay is medium gold in color; from both smelling and tasting this bottling, one will quickly realize oaky or buttery are not descriptors one can use to describe its style. The bouquet offers aromas of an orange peel zest, citrus blossom, honeydew melon and some pretty floral intrigue including honeysuckle and jasmine. the brightly lit palate offers some minerality nuances along with flavors of melon, red apple, and pear. This balanced bottling offers a creamy but not viscous texture. The finish is lively, long lasting and filled with layers of fruit.
Have to throw in a dollop of even more useless information. The New Wine Review(?) 90/91 points.
Producer website states “…primarily neutral French oak barrels for six months…”
Lucky to be a rat again. Opened this on Saturday for a dinner party and served with cheese and charcuterie.
The nose smelled pleasantly of green apple and a touch of honey. The palate was green apple and citrus with a healthy acidity. The oak was very restrained, a plus for me as I lean towards un-oaked Chards.
I thought it went well with the fatty meat and cheese, the acidity cut through well.
Overall I thought it was a decent Chard, I didn’t get any great complexity from it. Perhaps if I let breathe a little longer it would have evolved more in the glass but it went quick with 4 tasters.
I poured next to these guys at a tasting and was extremely impressed with this chard – right up my alley, with minerality and cut. In for 3, unless there are Mates in Marin that want to divvy up a case.
@heartfeltsf@winecatlady I’ll go in for a third. I don’t get any special shipping deal. I can head thru SF if you’re somewhere roughly along the TI to Marin route.
fine-realistic-mass (couldn’t find an appropriate GIF- feel free to help me out)
^^That YouTube video put me over the edge. And FOMO was starting to set in And I’m a Chardonnay girl And Summer’s almost here And And And
I bought a box and am very glad I did. Very nice, well balanced wine. A touch of oak, but not too much. Nice example of a Napa Chardonnay. Not up to the 21 Stony Hill we had at the winery in November, but the best $15 bottle of Chardonnay I’ve had for a very long time.
@winedavid49 I’ve had 2 or 3 of these already, thoroughly enjoyable. Nice foil for some fried shrimp the other day. And oh, up for $25 today on flash site ending in “o”
2021 Keenan Chardonnay, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
93 Points – James Suckling (March 2023)
Tasting Notes
Vineyard Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$496.80/Case for 12x 2021 Keenan Chardonnay, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
About The Winery
History
Commitment to Quality
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jun 10 - Wednesday, Jun 12
2021 Keenan Napa Valley Chardonnay
3 bottles for $64.99 $21.66/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $179.99 $15/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
What’s the breakdown of oak ages?
@klezman and interested in what the Rats may have to say.
I received this bottle last week, popped in the wine fridge, knowing I had a wonderful bottle of Chardonnay waiting for me after a long weekend of travel. With my hubby traveling this week, I also knew I’d be LabRatting this Kennan 2021 Chardonnay Napa Valley Spring Mountain District all by myself and watching the Nuggets play the Timberwolves - just me and the pups!
Today the phone rang. It’s my daughter, asking if she could stop by for dinner. I was truly excited, ran to the store and planned the meal for our little LabRat dinner party for two! She loved joining in on the LabRat fun!
Ok…. On with the LabRat review!
This Keenan 2021 Chardonnay is crisp and sophisticated!! It deserves the upmost respect for the perfect food pairing. Skip the charcuterie and bring on the culinary skills, perfect for a spring time dinner menu.
Out of the bottle, I found aroma’s of soft white peach, green apple and citrus with a hit of minerals.
On the palate – There’s a zing of grapefruit forward, followed by the the crispness of green apple. The finish engulfs with a buttery crispness, with hints of peach and a tad bit of oak to help balance out the acidity, which makes perfect to pair.
Please do this chardonnay justice with a pairing of pork, grilled chicken, seafood dish, pasta, etc. My menu choice for the evening was chicken with lemon, white wine** and butter sauce over pappardelle and an arugula salad with lemon/OV dressing.
** No Keenan Chardonnay was used in the making my chicken pasta dish
It’s a crisp dry chardonnay with a beautiful balance with a perfect finish. Spoil yourself and your taste buds…Grab this!!!
@jennyrenard love this. I love this deal.
@jennyrenard @Winedavid49
This does look interesting. Have liked other Keenan’s
@jennyrenard looks like a wonderful dinner with your daughter! Great rattage.
@rjquillin @Winedavid49 it will not disappoint
@rjquillin @Winedavid49 So agree!! This winning win, helped my Nuggets win last night! IT IS A WIN WIN WINE!!!
@Winedavid49 me too! It’s such a great deal on this beautiful wine!
@TimW it was! This bottle is perfect for a dinner party of 2
. If you’re having a bigger party, your gone need that case, that’s if you’re willing to share!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2021 Keenan Napa Valley Chardonnay - $80 = 23.53%
In addition to Suckling, Wine&Spirits (which by the way will no longer be in print but hopes to continue an online presence)
92 points. Keenan’s high-elevation chardonnay is earthy and savory, layering scents of chamomile and dry peach, caramel and pear. The flavors last on that caramel-pear richness while not getting sticky, instead holding to mountain-grown tension. Pleasingly rich and bright. 4/23
Wine Advocate. 88 points. Barrel fermented in French oak (30% new) but with malolactic fermentation blocked, Keenan’s 2021 Chardonnay offers up aromas of cinnamon-dusted toast, yellow plum and lime. In the mouth, it’s medium-bodied, quite linear and direct, without much flesh yet vibrant and refreshing, with a lick of wet stone on the finish. Drink 2022 - 2027 Joe Czerwinski 3/31/23
Dave, the Napa Wine Project. The 2021 Robert Keenan Chardonnay is medium gold in color; from both smelling and tasting this bottling, one will quickly realize oaky or buttery are not descriptors one can use to describe its style. The bouquet offers aromas of an orange peel zest, citrus blossom, honeydew melon and some pretty floral intrigue including honeysuckle and jasmine. the brightly lit palate offers some minerality nuances along with flavors of melon, red apple, and pear. This balanced bottling offers a creamy but not viscous texture. The finish is lively, long lasting and filled with layers of fruit.
Have to throw in a dollop of even more useless information. The New Wine Review(?) 90/91 points.
Producer website states “…primarily neutral French oak barrels for six months…”
If you have 3 minutes to spare:
fwiw
@kaolis Ooooo, ‘dynamic subtlety’ who knew?
Lucky to be a rat again. Opened this on Saturday for a dinner party and served with cheese and charcuterie.
The nose smelled pleasantly of green apple and a touch of honey. The palate was green apple and citrus with a healthy acidity. The oak was very restrained, a plus for me as I lean towards un-oaked Chards.
I thought it went well with the fatty meat and cheese, the acidity cut through well.
Overall I thought it was a decent Chard, I didn’t get any great complexity from it. Perhaps if I let breathe a little longer it would have evolved more in the glass but it went quick with 4 tasters.
/giphy photogenic-warn-parent
I’m in, need some for a celebration in the future - sounds too good to pass up
Sounds like my style of Chardonnay! In for a case.
/giphy grievous-bubbly-scout
/giphy baffling-rejoicing-caper
$16 and change, a case to WI
@kaolis in the nick of time!
@Winedavid49 June 1 right? Don’t you dare ship 5/31… ha!
Any in NJ interested in sharing a case?
@dchita25 I missed out on the deal but if anyone near NJ has any they want to split let me know.
I poured next to these guys at a tasting and was extremely impressed with this chard – right up my alley, with minerality and cut. In for 3, unless there are Mates in Marin that want to divvy up a case.
Anyone in NE OH want to buy this? I would take 3-4 bottles, if so. Willing to take up to 6.
@chipgreen where is NEO? I’m in Cleveland
@chipgreen @galadad that’s northeast Ohio I’m near canton
@galadad @marjoryk
What Marjory said
Akron here.
Good opportunity to use my Meh coupon!
/giphy understood-crabby-industry
I opened my first bottle with dinner a few nights ago. I think I’ll enjoy having this Chard around this summer!
Anyone in or near San Francisco want to split a case?
Im in
how do we arrange this? I get free shipping cuz I am a sucker for meh
@heartfeltsf I get free shipping too! Where are you? I’m out of town the first week of June, so if you could order it, I can come by when I return.
@heartfeltsf @winecatlady I’ll go in for a third. I don’t get any special shipping deal. I can head thru SF if you’re somewhere roughly along the TI to Marin route.
Where are you located? I live in Santa Rosa, work in Point Reyes…
I am in San Francisco in the middle of the city.
From the rattage and my prior experiences with Keenan over the years, I’m getting a box. At this price a very good value.
fine-realistic-mass (couldn’t find an appropriate GIF- feel free to help me out)
^^That YouTube video put me over the edge. And FOMO was starting to set in And I’m a Chardonnay girl And Summer’s almost here And And And
@WCCWineGirl how’s this one?
/giphy fine-realistic-mass
Aaagh. It’s over?? Thought I had until midnight?? Sorry, while trying to deal with who to split with I did not order
And now I’m timed out. Sigh….
@winecatlady Yup, you do. Eastern
I bought a box and am very glad I did. Very nice, well balanced wine. A touch of oak, but not too much. Nice example of a Napa Chardonnay. Not up to the 21 Stony Hill we had at the winery in November, but the best $15 bottle of Chardonnay I’ve had for a very long time.
@winedavid49 I’ve had 2 or 3 of these already, thoroughly enjoyable. Nice foil for some fried shrimp the other day. And oh, up for $25 today on flash site ending in “o”