Nose
This Chardonnay is bursting with luscious fruit aromas of baked apple, pear, nectarine and pineapple, as well as additional notes of orange blossom, lemon zest, vanilla crème brûlée and fresh-baked piecrust.
Palate
Ripe fruit flavors of pineapple and peach dominate the palate. This lush fruit is beautifully framed by vibrant acidity and well-integrated oak, which adds nuances of honey, brioche and spice, as well as hints of nutmeg and clove. The finish is exceptionally long, with the acidity adding focus to the generous fruit.
Harvest
In many ways, 2011 was more of a classic “Burgundian-style” growing season than what we usually expect in California. The unusually mild temperatures particularly favored cool-climate grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, providing greatly extended hangtime, while still allowing the fruit to preserve lovely natural acidity. Throughout the season, we worked closely with our Sonoma County growers to thin the crop to appropriate levels and open up the canopy for more sun exposure. As a result, our first blocks of Chardonnay began coming in to the winery with perfect sugar and acid levels on September 23—ten days before the first rains. The blocks that were not harvested before the rain were allowed to remain on the vine for about a week, and were then picked before further rains could cause any damage.
Aging
In the true Burgundian style, the wine was barrel fermented and underwent malolactic fermentation as it aged for eight months on the lees.
