Nose
True to its Carneros roots, the 2015 Sevens Bench Chardonnay carries the hallmark of the region – fruit intensity balanced by good acidity. The aromas are driven by classic lemon drop, Meyer lemon and a sweet tangerine character.
Palate
That fruit style follows in the flavors, with the citrus focus carrying through with candied lemon drop balanced by the nice acidity and mineral characters inherent to the region and the clonal selections. Barrel fermentation characters are in the background, adding more complexity to this elegant wine.
Growing Conditions
Intensive farming and low yields are the foundations of our Carneros Chardonnay offering. The two blocks farmed for this wine are on a bench with classic Haire clay loam soils, and on a ridge at a 200-foot elevation. This block is part of an uplifted riverbed, which allows good drainage in the traditional clay based soils of the region. The name Sevens Bench is derived from our historical name for our Carneros Pinot Noir and one of the two clones planted on our blocks: Clone 27 (Mount Eden). The other selection is old Rued clone. We are extremely proud to release this second bottling of Sevens Bench Chardonnay and hope you enjoy the wine.
Bottling
No fining or filtration
Winemaking
Yeast: Native
Aging
16 Months, 100% French Oak, 37% New
