Trois Noix Chardonnay Muir-Hanna Vineyard Oak Knoll District 2021
(Napa Valley, California) - [DM 93] [TWI 93] [JS 92] [JD 90]

About the Winery:
Trois Noix began in 2013 as a collaboration between amazingly talented friends who happened to be fabulous winemakers and grape growers - including winemaker Jaime Araujo - with the goal of making fresh and precise wines of time and place. Standing on that foundation today, they are a bridge between “Established Napa” and “Next Napa,” holding onto that sense of place while inviting as many people as possible to revel in a shared love of wine.

The Araujo name carries considerable weight in Napa Valley. Jaime’s father and stepmother, Bart and Daphne Araujo, were the visionary forces behind Araujo Estate at the famed Eisele Vineyard, which they transformed into one of Napa’s most revered Cabernet Sauvignon estates before selling to the Pinault family in 2013.

Trois Noix’s initial production was modest—just 300 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. Over the past decade, the brand has grown steadily, now producing roughly 3,000 cases across a diverse range of labels.

The name Trois Noix—French for “three nuts”—was originally inspired by the founders’ children, but today the project carries broader meaning. According to Araujo, the brand rests on three guiding pillars: community, possibility, and opportunity, with wine positioned as a catalyst for connection and social change.

About this Wine:
The Muir-Hanna Chardonnay from this historic Napa vineyard comes from both 38 year old and 15 year old vines.

The Vintage
The 2021 growing season in Napa will be remembered by its exceptional quality and concentration of flavor. While there was hardly any rainfall in the late winter and spring months, this led to a moderate crop load on the vines that required less management to promote flavor. Heat spikes in the summer months were infrequent which allowed the small clusters and berries to ripen at a steady pace. A slightly earlier harvest than average, the 2021 Trois Noix wines are highly aromatic and rich in flavor and structure.

Tasting Notes
The 2021 Muir-Hanna Chardonnay is highly aromatic, precise, and true to the Trois Noix style. A fully loaded bouquet of lemon zest, orange blossom, and marine air give way to a brioche-like undercarriage. There is also a pleasurable hint of mineral reduction that nuances the generous fruits sitting atop. The mid-palate offers a patchwork of natural acidity, brine, and a wonderful viscosity achieved by judicious stirring of the lees.

Pairings
Fresh-shucked oysters on the half-shell with mignonette, pan seared wild salmon over creamy risotto.

Technical Info

Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
AVA: Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
Aging: Aged for 10 months, 12% new and 76% neutral French oak; 12% concrete egg.
Bottling Date: June 22, 2022
Alcohol: 14.9%
Production: 535 9-liter cases

Ratings & Reviews

93 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"This is a subtle and focused Chardonnay with excellent tension and length from the Muir-Hanna Vineyard in Napa Valley's Oak Knoll district. Fragrant white flowers, lemon oil, and almonds. Medium-bodied with a satiny richness that broadens layering in a wonderfully deep, candied lemon essence before segueing to crushed stone minerals through the scintillating finish. Trevor Smith is the consultant winemaker. Drinking Window: 2024-2030." - Jonathan Cristaldi (Dec 2023)

93 Points - The Wine Independent:
"The 2021 Chardonnay Muir Hanna springs from the glass with notes of Golden Delicious apples, Bosc pears, and honeydew melons plus nuances of chalk dust and jasmine tea. The medium-bodied palate has a racy backbone, with citrus sparks lifting the apple and pear flavors, finishing long and chalky." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Jun 2024)

92 Points - James Suckling:
"Aromas of spices, grilled herbs, caramel, ripe nectarines and glazed lemons. Hints of walnut, too. Full and creamy with a gentle phenolic edge to it and vivid acidity. Lingering finish. Drink or hold." (Mar 2023)

90 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 2021 Chardonnay Muir-Hanna comes from the Oak Knoll region of Napa and was brought up in just 12% new oak. It has plenty of stone and orchard fruits as well as some subtle spicy, honeyed, and floral notes and a vibrant, fresh, focused style on the palate." (Dec 2023)