- Wine Notes

2006 Chardonnay, Estate Bottled Santa Ynez Valley
With over twenty-five years experience growing Chardonnay on our estate; the coolest sections of our vineyard have reliably produced our distinctive style. These sections are planted with two complimentary clones of Chardonnay: Wente adds subtle nutmeg and clove notes and Mt. Eden brings tropical fruit flavors.

Growing Season and Harvest
The 2006 growing season started a month late after an unusually cold March. Spring and summer were relatively mild with our average highs in the upper 80’s. In early October, we had an afternoon down pour which increased our anxiety since the grapes were still hanging. Thankfully, it was quickly followed by warm, dry weather which allowed the grapes to ripen fully. Harvest came and went quickly, albeit a month late, yielding rich reds and bright whites.

Winemaking
After hand harvesting, this Chardonnay was gently whole cluster pressed. Two-thirds of the juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks to retain its fresh fruit characters. The remaining third was then barrel fermented and sur lie aged or on the lees (yeast and solids) for 10 months in French oak barrels for complexity and richness. Both portions were not allowed to go through malolactic fermentation to retain their lively flavors.

The Wine
The resulting wine has bright mango, papaya, tangerine and pear aromas and flavors that marry with toasty oak from ten months of barrel aging. This wine will pair well with shellfish or light pasta over the next several years.

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