TASTING NOTES
- Aromas: Pears, stone fruits and vanilla bean
- Flavors: Ripe nectarines, apples and honey
- Profile: Medium-weight, with fruit features, acidity, oak and texture optimally balanced.
VINEYARDS
We sourced our 2021 Chardonnay grapes from the Rodgers Creek Vineyard in the Sonoma Coast AVA. Our steep, terraced blocks in Rodgers Creek are about 600 feet above sea level, well positioned to get plenty of afternoon wind and sun. Summer mornings are cool and usually sport a blanket of Pacific fog. By late-afternoon, breezes pick up again and eventually carry in more fog at night. It’s the “wind tunnel” created by the Estero lowlands and surrounding low hills that really distinguishes the area from neighboring regions. Most importantly for us, the Pacific wind and fog combine with more temperate inland weather to keep fruit on the vine long into the season. This creates excellent phenolic ripeness at harvest, with low-to-moderate sugar levels, ideal acidity and terrific aromatic and flavor characters.
WINEMAKING
- Clones 95 & 76 on 101-14 rootstock
- Harvested: September 14, 2021
- Brix @ Harvest: 23.4°
- Fermentation details: Whole cluster pressed, racked to barrel for primary fermentation, malolactic fermentation in barrels, bi-weekly batonnage
- Aging: 10 months in new & neutral French oak
- Final blend: 100% Chardonnay
- pH: 3.57
- TA: 6.2 g/L
- Alcohol: 13.7%
VINTAGE
2021 was an excellent vintage for Northern California. Warm days and cool nights brought us ripe flavors, ample structure and vibrant acidity.