This bottling is distinct from our other wines, both in style and in fruit sourcing. Fermented in stainless steel and never touching oak barrels.
Appellation: Central Coast
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Clones: Wente, 4, 95, 96
Oak treatment: None
Alcohol: 14.2%
Cases made: 7,000
Release date: April, 2010
Retail price: $18.
SOLD OUT.
$18.
SOLD OUTTHE VINEYARD
Grapes for this wine came from several sustainably farmed vineyards on the Central Coast, the majority from a terrace high above the Salinas River in Monterey County where east-facing exposure and air flow produces lush, tropical flavors. We also sourced Wente Chardonnay from rocky, south-facing ridges just south of our estate, with intense citrus and mineral notes. Special vineyards in Santa Maria Valley and other parts of Santa Barbara County bring flavors of ripe apple, banana and caramel to the mix.
VINTAGE
The third year of a drought was combined with a cool spring and summer. A long, slow-ripening curve followed by an early September heat wave brought Chardonnay in earlier than expected with very concentrated flavors. While late varieties suffered from the October storms, this Chardonnay was picked entirely before the rains for incredible quality.
WINEMAKING
No oak is used in the winemaking process to showcase the essence of Central Coast Chardonnay. The selected grapes were hand-harvested and sorted, then quickly pressed in whole clusters. The juice was cold-stabilized and racked off the sediment, then tank-fermented at low temperatures to enable the formation of esters that emphasize the pure, tropical fruit flavors. To allow the crisp acidity and fresh fruit to shine, this wine was bottled without malolactic fermentation.
CLONAL SELECTION
The core of this wine is Clone 4, known for its opulent tropical character. Old-vine Wente, a classic clone in the area, provides characteristic citrus and floral notes while the newer Dijon Clones 95 and 96 lend ripe notes of banana and butterscotch.
TASTING NOTES
If crafted in the right way, you don’t need oak and malolactic fermentation to make a full-bodied, complex Chardonnay, as this wine shows. Fresh pineapple, guava and banana combine with notes of ripe lemon and grapefruit to create a seriously fruit-driven bouquet. The palate echoes the nose, overflowing with crisp, clean tropical fruit and a rich mid-palate texture
