Nose
Our 2014 Generations Chardonnay offers seductive floral aromas with
hints of lemon zest and pineapple.
Palate
Rich and creamy, flavors of apricot,
vanilla and soft spices spread across the palate. This rich wine has a
rounded, sumptuous mouthfeel with balanced acidity, great structure and
well integrated oak.
Growing Conditions
The grapes for the Generations Chardonnay come from our estate
vineyards in Jameson Canyon and a select vineyard in the Atlas Peak
appellation. The estate vineyards are planted on rolling hills at the southern
end of Napa Valley. The growing conditions in the Jameson Canyon are
very similar to Carneros, the neighboring appellation just west of the Napa
River. Winds flow through Jameson Canyon, carrying in the cooling
influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean and providing a long, cool growing
season that enhances the intensity of the Chardonnay flavors.
In spite of the drought and the South Napa earthquake, vintners are using
words like “quality,” “depth of flavor” and “excellent” to describe the
2014 vintage in Napa Valley. Many are also noting “perfect weather,”
“abundant crop” and “good fortune”. Harvest started and ended earlier
than usual. The first grapes for sparkling wine picked on July 30 and nearly
all harvest activity was completed by the third week in October – for many,
a full two weeks ahead of the normal harvest schedule.
Winemaking
A mix of specialized Old Wente and Dijon, our 2014 Generations Napa
Valley Chardonnay was whole cluster pressed and fermented in French oak
barrels with 100% native yeast fermentation and achieved 100% native
malolactic fermentation.
Aging
The wine was then aged for 14 months in 75%
new French oak (Francois Frere) with sur-lie aging for a creamy texture and
broader mouthfeel before being bottled unfiltered.
