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Wine Details
Price:
$13.00 per bottle
Description:
Rich and butterscotchy, this Chardonnay is a fresh expression of the classic varietal. At least half the grapes in this blend were grown in our own vineyards; the rest we carefully selected from nearby vineyards in the Dry Creek, Sonoma, Alexander, and Russian River Valley appellations, choosing only fully ripened fruit. We fermented the wine in different lots in our home winery, some in new oak barrels, some in stainless steel tanks, aging both for six months before blending them, and then finished it with 100% malolactic fermentation. As you’ll taste, the barrel component adds a toasty complexity; the tank, fruity grape notes. Fruit and melon aromas are offset on the palate by hints of oak and vanilla. Medium- to full-bodied, this Chardonnay has ripe fruit flavors, good acid balance in the mouth, and a rich, persistent finish.
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Varietal Definition
Chardonnay:
Chardonnay is by far the most widely planted grape crop in California and dominates California’s cooler, coastal, quality wine regions. The natural varietal ‘taste and smell’ of Chardonnay is surprisingly unfamiliar to many wine drinkers, as its true character is often guised with dominating winemaking signatures. Chardonnay’s rather subdued primary fruit characteristics lean toward the crisp fruitiness of apples, pears and lemon, but the variety’s full body is capable of supporting a host of complementary characteristics, such as oak, butter and vanilla. Regardless of what is the appropriate style for Chardonnay, the varietal continues to dominate vineyard plantings in every corner of the world. Close attention to clonal selection has made this broad geographic and climactic range of Chardonnay viable in thoughtful viticultural hands.
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