Nose
Aromas of bright lemon, green apple, vanilla and toasty oak.
Palate
The palate is crisp, clean and bright with ripe lemon, yellow apple, and lemongrass on the entry, met with a little crushed stone texture on the crisp mid- palate and a touch of buttered toast and balanced oak complexing the long textured finish.
Growing Conditions
The Hilliard Bruce Vineyard is Landmark’s southernmost source for Chardonnay. Located on the western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County and planted to clones 76 and 96 Chardonnay, its proximity to the ocean gives a definite cool-climate character to this wine. The vineyard’s well-drained sandy silt soils and the region’s long growing season give an added intensity and complexity that is this region’s hallmark.
Bottling
Bottling date February 2017.
Winemaking
The fruit was night-picked by hand on August 27 and transported by refrigerated truck to our winery in Kenwood where it was lightly whole-cluster-pressed. After settling, the juice was barrel-fermented in French oak (35% new) using native yeast. Full malolactic fermentation occurred in the barrel.
Aging
The wine was aged sur-lie for 14 months with battonage (lees stirring) performed every two weeks.
Appearance
Pale lemon yellow, with day-bright silver highlights.
Food Pairing
Crisp, clean and textured, try it with a fillet of sole, garnished with a lemon, caper and wine sauce, or a lightly seasoned calamari fritti with a squeeze of lemon.
