Nose
With bright tropical notes on the nose, this wine shows riper warm-climate qualities that are harmoniously balanced with the brisk acidity and
lemon zest notes of the cool-climate fruit.
Palate
Clean and fresh, gaining midpalate
weight with layered tropical and honeydew flavors, all finishing with a crisp flourish.
Growing Conditions
Austin Chardonnay is grown in the Templeton Gap, Creston and San Juan Creek districts of
Paso Robles, drawing upon a diversity of soils and microclimates to create a multifaceted
Chardonnay. As required by Hope Family Wines, each contributing vineyard is certified
sustainable. The Templeton Gap vineyard resides in the rolling hills of westside Paso Robles.
This is one of the coolest areas of the Paso Robles AVA, with a pronounced marine influence
and Linne Calodo soils that drive the minerality of the wine. The Creston vineyard is located
on an ancient floodplain where sandy loam soils prevail, while the San Juan area vineyards
feature similar loam soils. In both districts, cooling breezes arrive by early afternoon and the
overnight temperature drops significantly each day—ensuring the classic golden hues and
crisp acidity that we desire in our Chardonnay.
The 2022 growing season was slightly warmer than average overall, with a mild spring and
early summer followed by a sustained September heat wave. The grapes were harvested a
week earlier than normal to retain crisp acidity and keep the pH at a perfect balance.
Bottling
May 2023
Winemaking
After harvesting, Chardonnay grapes were whole-cluster pressed into stainless steel tanks
for cold settling at 30 degrees.
Aging
The juice was racked off the heavy lees into French oak barrels (20%) and stainless steel tanks (80%) for fermentation. The barrel fermented portion
saw eight months of sur lie aging and the barrels were stirred monthly during the first three
months to enhance the creamy nature of the wine. The blend was assembled in April of 2023,
then stabilized in stainless steel tanks before bottling.
