2019 Estate Chardonnay

100% Estate Chardonnay

• Varieties:
  100% Chardonnay
• Appellation:
  Paso Robles - Templeton Gap District
• Average brix at harvest:
  23.3
• Vineyard:
  Estate
• Alcohol:
  13.5%
• Acidity:
  0.66 g/100ml
• pH:
  3.52
• Residual sugar:
  0.01 g/100ml
• Date bottled:
  September 11, 2020
• Cases produced:
  97
• Retail Price:
  $ 26.00

Growing conditions:
Abundant winter rainfall starting in December lasted until April. Multiple small rain events led to all of the moisture soaking into the vineyard soil profile. No frost and a mild spring produced great fruit set. Judicious thinning coupled with a long warm summer led to an outstanding late harvest with excellent quality and yields.

Winemaking:
The grapes were hand harvested, then whole cluster pressed while still cool. Barrel fermented in 100% new French oak barrels. The wine was aged on its lees passively for 8 months.
This process produced a richer mouthfeel and allowed the wine to be bottled with minimal filtration.

Tasting notes:
Aromas of honeysuckle and ripe apricots are intertwined with elusive hints of almond blossom in the background. Rich, silky mouth feel from fermentation plus 8 months of passive lees contact in Hungarian oak barrels culminates with a long, rich finish.

Cellaring:
This Chardonnay will continue to improve with proper cellaring for another 12-24 months.

Food selection:
This Chardonnay will enhance soft ripe cheeses, spicy Asian cuisine as well as richer ocean selections such as scallops, oysters, and lobster.