2011 Chardonnay
Our Napa Valley Chardonnay is made using fruit grown on elite vineyards in some of the coolest regions of Napa Valley. The majority of the grapes come from Kelly Ranch, which overlooks the San Pablo Bay, where marine influences and shallow soils composed of clay and gravel create optimal growing conditions for Chardonnay. To add depth and complexity, the 2011 vintage also includes fruit from Poe Vineyard in Napa-Carneros and Red Hen Vineyard in Oak Knoll. This wine was aged on its lees for eight months in one-third new French oak barrels. For added texture and viscosity, a significant portion of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation.
| Vintage: | 2011 |
| Wine Type: | White Wine |
| Varietal: | Chardonnay |
| Varietal Composition: | |
| 100% | Chardonnay |
| Appellation: | Napa Valley |
| Harvest Date: | September 23 - October 12, 2011 |
| Sugar: | 24.6° Brix at Harvest |
| Acid: | TA–0.64 g/100 ml |
| PH: | pH - 3.55 |
| Barrel Aging: | |
| 8 months | |
| 100% | French Oak |
| Ageability: | 4 - 8 years |
| Fermentation: | Barrel |
| Bottling Date: | July, 2012 |
| Alcohol %: | 14.5% |
This wine offers a delicious combination of baked apple, pear and lemon zest aromas, as well as hints of hazelnut, baking spice and brioche. Additional layers of melted butter, brown sugar and beautiful spicy oak contribute to the complex Burgundian character of the nose. On the palate, this wine is fleshy and round, with enticing mineral, citrus, quince and pear flavors. Spice notes of clove, cardamom and toasted wood add an intriguing counterpoint to the fruit. All the elements seamlessly integrate, creating a rich, elegant mouthfeel that is toned by natural acidity and persists long on the finish.
2011 was an extremely cold year, where our four decades of Napa Valley winegrowing experience paid great dividends. Throughout the season, we worked closely with our growers and aggressively thinned early in the season, doing as many as two to three fruit drops throughout the vineyards to lighten the crop loads. We also opened up the canopy for more sun exposure. As a result, even though the cool weather delayed all stages of development, our grapes benefited from ample hangtime. Our first blocks of Chardonnay began coming in to the winery with perfect sugar and acid levels on September 23.
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