Nose
Notes of red cherries, earth and orange rind in the aroma.
Palate
Medium density, with intense fruit flavors and strong floral notes. A soft and delicate
palate resolves into smooth velvety tannins. As this wine evolves, further floral flavors
will emerge along with notes of tobacco. Properly cellared, this wine will grow and
develop over the next 10 years.
Growing Conditions
Sourced from vineyards throughout the Carneros appellation, including our Estate
Vineyard on the historic Stanly Ranch. The Napa Valley Vintners Association described the 2013 growing season as “early,
even and excellent” with the vintage showing tremendous promise and potential.
The warm, dry spring brought early bud break and ideal conditions for flowering and
fruit set. Temperatures were consistent throughout the summer with the exception of
one heat spike in late June / early July.
Harvest
Billed as the earliest harvest in recent history,
we began picking Chardonnay on September 1st, grapes came in at a furious pace
throughout the month. Overall, harvest finished about two weeks earlier than normal
and yields on the whole were above average.
Winemaking
this wine is a blend of our favorite Pinot Noir
clones, including: Dijon 114, 115, 667, 777, and 828, along with Pommard & Swan.
The Dijon clones bring good color, bright focused fruit, and concentration. The
Pommard and Swan clones bring mid-palate depth and nuanced complexity, along
with great texture and minerality. This wine was fermented with native yeast in open
top tanks for 15-20 days. Fermentation was completed in French oak barrels and
racked once to preserve the delicate and elegant essence of Pinot Noir.
Aging
30% new French oak barrels for 12 months.
Appearance
Deep ruby in color.
