Palate
Our Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay is rich and creamy in golden mango, pineapple, yellow peach and honeysuckle flower flavors, with oak barrel aging bringing notes of buttered biscuits and vanilla bean to the palate and finish. The chilly climate and very long growing season allows the grapes to retain a high natural acidity, while the narrow diurnal temperatures of the growing season results in extraordinarily flavorful grapes.
Growing Conditions
Established in 1981, the Santa Maria Valley AVA is nestled along the California Coast in a rare east-west mountain range, unlike the more common north-south valleys. This creates a giant funnel from the Pacific, ushering a cooling marine influence into the region on an almost daily basis.
Vineyards: 92% Camelot Vineyard, 8% Riverbluff Vineyards
Clones: 100% Clone 4
Aging
8 months in 86% French oak (34% new). Full malolactic secondary fermentation, lees stirred every 2 weeks.
