Vineyard

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, harvest began at least three weeks later than normal on September 21.

Cellar

Just pressed Chardonnay juice resembles unfiltered fruit juice. The clearer the juice, the fruitier the fermentation will be, so we clarified the juice by cold-settling it overnight at 48° F; the sediment settled to the bottom of the tank. We then pumped the juice off the sediment and inoculated it with yeast. We used four different strains of yeast, each providing a unique flavor profile to the wine.

We fermented 50% of this wine in French oak barrels to add complexity and depth; barrel fermentation integrated the oak into the wine, giving it a roasted nuts aroma and greater richness on the palate. The remaining 50% was fermented in stainless steel tanks at 52° F to retain more of the grapes’ aromas of citrus and tropical fruit. After alcoholic fermentation, 40% of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, converting the wine’s natural malic acid to the softer lactic acid, adding a creamy character to the aroma and a rich, supple texture on the palate. The wine was aged for eight months in French oak, bottled in July 2024, then bottled aged for 14 months before its release.

Drinkability

Fruit-driven and young, the 2023 Chardonnay opens with tropical fruit aromas of lychee, Babcock peach, pomelo and red Bartlett pear. Bright on the palate, it has oyster shell, pink grapefruit, sweet vanilla and toasted brioche flavors. The 2023 has great aging potential as evidenced by its complexity on the palate and its long, fresh finish. 

At Harvest:

22.4° Brix
0.67 g/100 mls TA
3.39 pH

At Bottling:

13.8% alcohol
0.61 g/100 mls TA
3.46 pH