Flavor descriptors:
Our Napa Valley chardonnay’s juicy pineapple and ripe pear fruits mingle with warm apple pie and toasted hazelnut flavors in this incredibly rich- textured wine. It’s defining creaminess is elevated by refreshing acidity and carries the fruity, toasty flavors along its deliciously rich finish.
Vintage:
2015 started warmer and drier than usual, without a drop of rain in January. The dry conditions continued well into April with some early irrigation in the vineyards. A cooler May reduced fruit set and provided the first signs of a lighter crop for the vintage. The harvest brought in fruit at optimal flavor maturity before a series of heat waves hit the valley. Overall, the 2015 harvest is one of the earliest on record. The grapes for our Napa Valley chardonnay were picked between August 19th and September 15th.
Vineyards:
This classic Napa Valley blend brings together the best AVAs for Chardonnay. The blend is dominated by fruit from the cooler regions in the southern end of the valley, where bay fog and breezes allow the grapes to ripen at a gradual, flavor-building pace while retaining refreshing, natural acidity. A small amount of fruit from our Wappo Hill vineyard, in the Stag’s Leap District, adds just the right touch of opulence to the blend, with other excellent Chardonnay vineyards giving their textures and tastes to the final wine.
Winemaking:
The grapes were harvested in the cool of the morning and gently pressed as whole clusters to conserve the vibrant, fruity flavors. Seventy percent (70%) of the juice was fermented in French oak barrels (16% new) and the balance was cold fermented in stainless-steel tanks to retain brightness and purity of fruit. Partial malolactic fermentation balanced the lively acidity and added complexity. Each lot was aged on the yeast lees (sûr lie) and was hand-stirred regularly (bâtonnage) throughout nine (9) months of aging, for seamless integration of flavors and a rich, creamy finish. The wine was bottled in November of 2016.
Varietal composition:
99% Chardonnay
1% Semillon
Total acid: 5.7 g/L
Final pH: 3.47
Residual sugar: 0.57 g/L
Alcohol: 14.5% by volume