Nose
Intoxicatingly aromatic with notes of fresh Meyer Lemon honeysuckle, pear, caramel and white peach.
Palate
On the palate it is full and round, rich and soft. The DuPratt Chardonnay starts with high acidity up front that leads to a creamy finish; lemon, pear and vanilla flavor.
Growing Conditions
Higher elevation and pronounced coastal influences have yielded this lean and vibrant Chardonnay a complex body and potential for long aging. The small, five-acre DuPratt vineyard sits on a ridge in Anderson Valley at an elevation of 1,550 feet, a few short miles from the charming seaside town of Elk. Planted in 1983 in upland timber sandstone soils, the fruit from this site distinctively reflects its mountainous locale, yielding wines with notable acidity and an appealing, rigid structure.
Harvest
The 2016 growing season had an early start partly due to winter and spring rains, which were a welcome reprieve to the drought conditions of 2012-2015. Furthermore, the warm and dry summer also contributed to the early start to harvest. These factors came together to produce a higher yield of fruit. Harvested August 2016.
Winemaking
100% barrel fermented
Aging
75% neutral French oak, 20% neutral American oak, 5% new French oak
