Growing Conditions

Our Ritchie Chardonnay walks the fine line between richness and delicacy. It has a great mouthfeel that balances power and elegance.

The 2009 vintage came close to ideal, with steady, moderate temperatures throughout the growing season, no desiccating heat spikes and no rain until all the Chardonnay had been picked. The Ritchie Vineyard was picked throughout September.

Bottling

It was lightly fined with traditional fining agents before being bottled without filtration in June 2011.

Winemaking

We use classical Burgundian techniques with the addtion of whole cluster pressing of the grapes. All of our Chardonnays go through native yeast fermentation in three-year air dried French and Hungarian oak barrels and then native, delayed malolactic fermentation.

Aging

The 2009 Ritchie aged sur lies for 20 months in 55% new oak barrels.