2023 Chardonnay

We released our first wine in April of 1997.  It was a Zinfandel.  For the next fifteen years we produced nothing but red wine.  During that time plenty of folks got the impression that I didn’t like white wine.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  It’s just that when I launched the winery, I didn’t have the resources to purchase stainless-steel tanks and the refrigeration to make white wine the way I wanted to.  This all changed when we moved to Amador County and built our winery and tasting room.  We released a Muscat Canelli in 2012 followed by a Viognier in 2016 and in 2018 we produced both a Rosé and a Verdelho.  It wasn’t until Chardonnay from the Sisters Vineyard in Los Carneros became available that we had the opportunity to produce Chardonnay.  Our first vintage was 2020.

Chardonnay is one of Margie’s favorites.  It is a rare evening when we don’t share a glass or two before dinner.  Invariably a portion of our conversation revolved around the wine we were enjoying or not enjoying.  With time we have become quite the critics of the world’s most widely produced white wine.  So, when it came to producing our own rendition of Chardonnay we knew exactly what we wanted it to be and also what we didn't want it to be.

To begin we wanted to produce a wine that showcased the varietal character of Chardonnay.  We wanted more aroma and less bouquet.  We set out to feature the apple, pear, and melon flavors of classic Chardonnay.  To do this we conduct the first half of the fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.  By controlling the speed of the fermentation, the evolution of the carbon dioxide the yeast produces as it converts grape sugar into ethanol is slower and it doesn’t carry with it the aromas of the grape.  Once the peak of fermentation is past, we rack the must into barrels where it completes the fermentation.  The barrels we employ are almost entirely French oak and roughly 25-33% are new.  This is a common percentage of new oak, but whereas many winemakers will age their wines for extended time in barrel, we age the Chardonnay for just five months.  The objective here is to not overwhelm the wine with an overly oaky bouquet and risk harsh bitter flavors so common with oak aged white wines with significant alcohol levels.  During its time in oak the wine does undergo the malo-lactic fermentation which imparts a softer form of acidity and adds a creaminess to its texture along aromatic notes of butter and yogurt.  We manage the alcohol level to a more modest 13.7% that keeps the wine lively and bright.  

Sisters Vineyard is one of the most southeast vineyards in Carneros.  Can’t go too much further east without hitting the Napa River or south before the groundwater is impacted from the salt water of the San Pablo Bay.  Plenty of cool coastal breezes and misty mornings provide the slow deep ripening that is essential to the fruit forward style of Chardonnay we desired.