Nose
Sautéed and fresh pear aromas of the 2014 Altus Chardonnay fill the
room with the first pop of the cork. This is a result of the small-berried
clones of Chardonnay and the skin soaking method employed prior to
fermentation. Fruit aromas are beautifully balanced with toasty
integrated oak.
Palate
The contribution of the grape skins is further evident
in the rich and oily mouthfeel that gives the impression of great
weight despite its modest alcohol.
Growing Conditions
Founded in 2005, Altv produces small quantities of handmade Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon. We source fruit from a handful of serious growers with
hillside and bench land vineyards up and down Napa Valley. Our style
emphasizes balance, fruit purity and intensity.
Fruit for the 2014 Altus Chardonnay was sourced from Kuleto Estate, which
sits high above the Napa Valley on a ridge that looks directly across at
Pritchard Hill from the East.
Harvest
Harvested August 15 - September 2, 2014.
Winemaking
Small batches of three old California
Chardonnay ‘clones’ (Wente, Robert Young, and Spring Mountain) and one
newer French clone (809) were harvested over three days. Two of the
batches were crushed back onto their stems to soak for several hours to pick
up maximum flavor intensity and a bit of tannin, while the third was
whole-cluster pressed for maximum freshness. All were barrel fermented
with native yeasts and the malo-lactic fermentation was allowed to proceed
in the two skin-soaked lots.
Aging
15 months in 50% new French Oak (Francois Freres)
