Wine:
Lovely and complex, our 2011 Estate Chardonnay shows the harmonious interplay of minerality and subtle fruit expression found in Chalone Vineyard wines. The exceptionally cool vintage emphasized the distinctive wet-stone terroir character, precise acidity and opulent texture that come from our limestone soils. The delicate fruit and floral notes are elegant and refined, unfolding in layers of white flowers, peach, pear and citrus. Partial malolactic fermentation added hints of crème brûlée to the finish, while sur lie barrel aging seamlessly integrated French oak nuances. As this Chardonnay ages, the fresh, lemony notes in the aromas turn to complex brioche nuances—a characteristic Winemaker Robert Cook loves.
Vineyard:
The majority of the grapes for this Chardonnay came from vines that are more than 25 years old. Our oldest Chardonnay vines were planted in 1919 and the most recent in 1999, with a substantial number of blocks planted in the 1970s and 1980s. Robert believes that these mature vines give the estate Chardonnays their quality and typicité. “By typicité, I mean wines that speak of the varietal character and the place that’s Chalone,” explains Robert. “It’s in their mouthfeel, texture, brightness and minerality.” A variety of Dijon clones and field selections add complexity to the wine, including a heritage clone planted in 1972 that gives distinctive floral notes.
Winemaking:
To preserve vibrant fruit character and acidity, we hand harvested the Chardonnay at night and immediately pressed the whole clusters. We barrel fermented all of the juice in French oak for layers of complexity and then allowed 70 percent of the wine to complete malolactic fermentation to round the acidity. Stirring of the yeast during barrel aging (sur lie) enhanced the mouthfeel and integrated flavors.
Vintage:
The 2011 vintage was even cooler than 2010, with a spring frost that substantially reduced the crop. We harvested only 430 tons from our entire 252-acre estate. The small, loose clusters ripened slowly and evenly, giving the wines numerous layers of delicate flavor nuances. We were lucky that our dry location high on the eastern mountain range spared us the untimely rainfall that affected many other vineyard regions. Our harvest was late and compact; Robert spent many nights sleeping at the mountain estate to be ready for the next vineyard block of grapes to arrive at the winery at daybreak.
Barrel Regime: 100% barrel fermented and sur lie aged. 9 months of aging. 100% French oak barrels (25% new).
Alcohol: 14.5%
Acidity: 6.7 g/L
pH: 3.16
Clean and a bit coarse, with modest green apple, spice and subtle citrus notes, showing a touch of smoky oak on the finish. Drink now through 2017. 15,465 cases made. –JL - Wine Spectator Magazine 86 Points
