Nose
The 2013 Chardonnay jumps from the glass with intense fruit and generous
floral notes. It has a slight creaminess, but is driven less by oak and malolactic
fermentation than by pure and layered fruit characters of green plum, honeydew
melon and ripe apricot, with a hint of delicate Meyer lemon and nutmeg.
Palate
In the
mouth this wine is supple and rich, with a generous body and long engaging finish.
We believe this wine is the new paradigm for our Oakville Ranch Chardonnay
Growing Conditions
Oakville Ranch is the original mountain vineyard of the Oakville sub-appellation,
a tiny district that produces some of Napa Valley’s most celebrated Cabernets.
A place of dramatic beauty and dedication to organic farming, Oakville Ranch
farms its hollows and terraces in a well-planned program of sustainability, and has
crafted singular wines expressive of its distinctive terroir since 1989.
Our 2013 Chardonnay was produced entirely from our “Bobcat” Chardonnay
blocks, named for the wild cats sometimes spotted there. In 2013 our winemaker
and vineyard manager decided to push these young but maturing vines, managing
the blocks by dropping fruit, thinning leaves and restricting water to create greater
balance and intensity in these heritage Chardonnay clones carefully selected by
viticulture expert Phil Coturri.
Harvest
September 5, 2013
Bottling
July 21, 2014
Winemaking
100% barrel fermented, 100% French oak, 30% new
Aging
Aged 10 months.
