Nose
Lovely aromas of apricot, lavender and caramel.
Palate
Bright flavors of lemon/lime, and a fresh, spicy finish with vanilla, clove and honeydew melon. The richness and texture are increasing in the bottle.
Growing Conditions
The very small crop at Le Bon Climat ripened quickly with sunshine, while the more vigorous, K block at Bien Nacido took one month longer than Le Bon Climat to ripen. Le Bon Climat is planted with Dijon Clones 76 and 96 which have riper characteristics at lower sugar than the Davis clones of Chardonnay. Block “K” at Bien Nacido is one of the original blocks planted at Bien Nacido in the early 1970s. “K” Block is all UC Davis clone 4. Usually as grapes ripen, the sugar level will increase while the acid will decrease. The cooler the climate, the slower this process will happen. This clone in the cool Santa Maria Valley will be low in pH at a ripe sugar level. A low pH Chardonnay will age better, integrate oak better, and pair with food better.
Bottling
Bottled with no filtering.
Aging
Aged for 18 months in new François Frères barrels.
