Nose
The nose is redolent with poached pears, ripe peaches and lemon rinds enlivened by exotic notes of lemongrass and fractured honeycomb.
Palate
A big volume opening of ripe pears and soft golden apples morphs nicely with a midpalate pop of refreshing acidity flavored by hints of citrus oil and juicy Meyer lemons that builds into an energetic, mineral driven finish. The wonderful balance and multilayered complexity of this wine allows it to drink deliciously now.
Growing Conditions
The ideal 2012 growing season was classic Napa Valley – great conditions during budbreak through flowering got things off to a great start followed by a Goldilocks summer of “just right” days and cool, foggy nights. A nice warmer stretch from late July through mid August helped ripen the ample crop and set-up the near perfect September stretch and October finish that gave the fruit the extended hangtime we were hoping for. The grapes were picked in the cool early mornings to maintain their freshness, natural acidity and delicate flavors.
Winemaking
We utilize traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques, while respecting the unique quality of the fruit our vineyard delivers. The grapes are hand sorted, whole cluster pressed and then barrel -fermented. Though we generally restrict malo-lactic fermentation to preserve acidity and crispness, this year we again allowed a few lots to go through it for increased complexity. Finally, we aged this wine on its lees for ten months with regular ‘batonnage’ during the first seven months.
Aging
10 Months
63% new, 37% used
Appearance
The 2012 Salus Chardonnay displays a proud gold color with shimmers of chartreuse.
