2023 Reserve Chardonnay (750ml)

Weatherwise, 2023 was a year for the record books. We received 50”+ of rain (average is 35”). Normally, our vines bud out in early March. However, due to a cold Winter and Spring, they did not start growing until April. Warm days and cool nights during the Summer were ideal for flavor development, but because of the delay in the growing season.

Our Reserve Chardonnay is made following techniques I learned during my internship at Domaine des Comtes Lafon in Meursault, France. We began in the vineyard by growing a Burgundian-bred Chardonnay clone (Dijon 76). At the winery, we inoculated the juice with two Burgundian yeasts (Montrachet and CY 3079), then barrel-fermented the juice in French oak barrels to give the wine a roasted nuts aroma and a richness on the palate. After primary fermentation, we moved half of this wine and its lees (yeast sediment) to older French oak barrels to allow the wine to develop and mature without becoming too oaky. Only 8% of the Reserve is aged in new oak. Like at Lafon, all of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation. This traditional Burgundian technique converted the grapes’ natural malic acid to the softer lactic acid, adding richness and complexity.

We aged the Reserve sur lies (on its sediment) in barrels in our caves for 15 months and utilized bâtonnage (stirring the lees) every two weeks to give the wine a creamy texture and a flinty aroma. The wine was bottled in February, then bottle aged for 14 months before release.

It is fruit-forward and youthful. It opens with lovely fruit aromas of orange blossom, Charentais melon and lychee that are enhanced with notes of wet granite and toasted brioche. Rich, supple, round on the palate, it has flavors of lemon cream, pink grapefruit and roasted nuts. The sweet vanilla toastiness from barrel-fermentation and extended barrel-aging enhance its bouquet. Lovely now, the Reserve has the structure and excellent balance to allow it to age for at least three more years.

Every wine evolves over time, revealing new aromas and flavors as it ages. While every bottle and cellar is different, these are our general recommendations:

Cabernet Sauvignon: Enjoy anytime from release through 20 years from the vintage date.
Next Red: Best enjoyed through 15 years from the vintage date.
Chardonnay and Reserve Chardonnay: Drink within 6 years from the vintage date.
Blanc de Blancs: We're still discovering its aging potential and continue to enjoy seeing how each vintage develops.
Rosé: We prefer to enjoy it while it's young, fresh, and vibrant.

These are completely subjective though. The most important aspect is to trust your own taste.

As our red wines mature, bright fruit flavors and firm tannins gradually give way to softer textures and more earthy, savory, and complex characteristics.

Our Chardonnays also evolve beautifully over time. Fresh citrus and melon notes slowly develop into flavors of pear, flint, mineral, and crème brûlée, creating a richer and more layered expression of the wine.