Nose
This Carneros blockbuster displays intense aromas of baked apple, pineapple and citrus, all wrapped in layers of fresh cream and toasty oak. Notes of caramel, buttered toast and lemon curd add depth and Burgundian richness to the nose.
Palate
On the palate, fermentation and aging in French oak barrels, malolactic fermentation and lees stirring have contributed to this wine’s rich weighty nature, underscoring its baked pear, brioche, cream and citrus custard flavors. This is a hedonistic wine that can be enjoyed with food, or by itself as the main course.
Growing Conditions
Originally sourced from one small block of Sangiacomo Vineyard’s famed “Home Ranch,” the vineyard sources have expanded to several of the Sangiacomo’s best blocks. This cool, windswept vineyard has an ideal location bordering San Pablo Bay where the grapes slowly mature developing intense varietal character, while retaining excellent acidity and structure.
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 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
The wine was fermented in French oak barrels, aged on the lees for eight months and underwent malolactic fermentation during the aging process.
