Nose
The 2013 is lemony without being citrusy, i.e. it smells more of lemon verbena or citronella than lemon rind.
Palate
The roughly 20% of new Francois Frere French oak give it a kiss of toast and a long creaminess that isn’t heavy. The early harvest meant higher initial malic acid levels which gives the wine a mouth-watering feel.
Growing Conditions
60% Skin contact prior to pressing, 40% Whole cluster pressed. Feeling refreshed after the spectacular 2012 vintage, we were prepared to tackle a challenging vintage in 2013 but instead were treated to another fantastic year with even greater concentration. We began the harvest on August 21, nineteen days earlier than in 2012. This seems to be a trend lately. What the early ripening lots have in common are distinct summer-like aromas and flavors as opposed to those of fall. They are brightly colored, fresh, fruity, and immediately appealing.
Putting together our Estate Chardonnay blend each year is an absolute joy because of all of the pieces of the puzzle that we get to play with. The Estate Chardonnay was harvested from 6 blocks over 6 days between August 21 and September 5 and was fermented as 6 separate lots. However, since most of the barrels were native ferments, some allowed to go through malolactic fermentation and others partially or not at all, and barrels aged from brand new to 5 years old, each barrel followed its own journey to completion. After multiple surveys of our Chardonnay barrels, 20 were chosen to make up our “Estate” blend. We were looking for those whose aromas were typical to the property without being extreme, and whose mouthfeels were balanced with a certain amount of delicacy. In essence, we’re making our “Estate” blend to be as versatile as possible with food.
Aging
100% barrel fermented, 11 months in 19% new Francois Frere French oak
