Nose
The 2013 Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Chardonnay opens with aromas of bright citrus zest, fleshy crane melon and notes of graham
cracker.
Palate
The unctuous mouth feel leads with an elegant restraint and swath of slate that crescendo with flavors of fresh cider
apples, juicy lychee and warming cardamom. The intense and silky finish lingers with spicy, earthy notes of white lily and lightly
toasted almond.
Growing Conditions
Drought-like weather and a constant inversion layer created favorable conditions at our Pahlmeyer Waters Ranch Vineyard
throughout the 2013 growing season. At 1,800 feet elevation, our Chardonnay fruit sits above the valley fog, soaking in direct
sunlight, yet cooled by delta breezes. The result were small berries that drove intense, concentrated flavors balanced with
superb acidity and structure. Despite being the earliest harvest in years, our 2013 wines are stunning in their rich coloring and
outstanding complexity.
Vineyards: Pahlmeyer Estate Vineyard, Atlas Peak Vineyard
Sold out.
Bottling
It was neither fined, nor filtered before bottling on September 3, 2014.
Winemaking
Our Chardonnay was hand picked in late September, during the cool of the night, and promptly delivered to the winery where
each cluster was sorted by hand, then gravity fed into the bladder press. The juice was streamed into stainless steel tanks and left
to settle for 24 hours at 50 degrees. We then racked it to 100% French oak barrels to begin native-yeast fermentation. Each
barrel was monitored daily, stirred only as needed to stimulate the process. At the precise completion of malolactic fermentation,
we again racked the wines, comingling the lots for the first time.
Aging
The Chardonnay was returned to barrel, 90% new Francois
Freres French oak, primarily Vosges very special grain, for another 11 months.
