2022 Unoaked Chardonnay

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“The release of our 2022 Unoaked Chardonnay is a milestone! It was thirty vintages ago that we released our first Unoaked Chardonnay, the 1993 vintage. It wasn’t an ordinary release and in fact quite bold of us, at the time, to buck the Chardonnay trend of the day of over-oaked and buttery chardonnays. By choosing winemaking that would bring out the crisp, bright and lively flavors of Chardonnay just as it came in from the field, we used only stainless-steel tanks for fermenting and aging. Without the use of barrels, we produced what has become our signature Chardonnay style – refreshing and tasty while more versatile with food and satisfying alone as a cocktail wine. Vintage after vintage critics have praised our choice of Unoaked Chardonnay. We’re toasting to thirty years of fresh and delicious!”

A light lemon color is an indicator of the fresh-from-the orchard characteristics in our 2022 Unoaked Chardonnay. Aromatics of fresh pear and Granny Smith apple mingle with a note of ginger and orange blossom. Juicy melon, with a little apple-tartness in the finish bring summer to mind. The mouth-feel is expansive with a balance of crispness and creaminess.

In the 2022 growing season, bud break and flowering occurred at the normal time, and a cool spring with milder-than-normal temperatures boosted growers’ expectations for high quality and abundant tonnage. Harvest began around the normal time, bringing in a larger yield than the region’s vintners have seen in recent vintages. Chardonnay fruit came in with vibrant flavors and lower Brix levels.

After grapes arrive still chilled from a morning pick, we whole-cluster press, then the juice settles for several hours. It is then racked off of the lees and sent to cold fermentation. Once cold fermentation is complete, the wine ages in stainless steel tanks for five months. Our Mendocino fruit undergoes malolactic fermentation in the stainless steel. For additional complexity, we add a small percentage of Monterey County Chardonnay that does not undergo malolactic fermentation. The wine sees no oak contact.

We’ve sourced our Chardonnay from the same long-time family-owned vineyards in Mendocino County for many vintages. Much of what we source is along the Russian River and the growing conditions are very similar to the cool vineyards in Sonoma County along the river. We add a touch of Chardonnay grown in Northern Monterey County and the resulting wine yields fresh fruit flavor with a firm structure.

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
TA: 0.67
pH: 3.26
Alcohol: 13.5%
RS: 0.022%
UPC: 711408713651
SRP: $15.00