While unusually complex and textured, the 2008 is true to the Chardonnay varietal in its clove-like spice, green apple and minerality and beautiful light golden color.

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About This Wine:

This wine has a beautiful light golden color. The 2008 version shows clove-like spice, green apple and minerality, true to the Chardonnay varietal. Although not overly rich, it has more complexity and texture than most unoaked versions thanks to low yielding Chardonnay vines grown in Russian River Valley. Enjoy with your favorite appetizers at the start of the meal or with sautéed white fish and shrimp salads!

Wine Profile:

Vintage:	2008
Wine Type:	White Wine
Varietal:	Chardonnay
Varietal Composition:
100%	Chardonnay
Appellation:	Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Acid:	0.54 g/100ml
PH:	3.54
Aging:	None
Bottling Date:	April 2009
Alcohol %:	13.8%

Ratings:

96 points from justwinepoints.com Sept. 2009.

Awards:

Gold Medal- 2009 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Five Stars from Restaurant Wine "Great Chardonnay at the price!" Sept. 2009

Vineyard Notes:
An unoaked Chardonnay shows nothing but pure varietal character without any oak attributes to mask the fruit’s qualities and nuances. We have a long-standing contract with the Dutton Ranch in order to secure some of the best Chardonnay in the appellation. The block we source from contains several well-regarded clones, including clone 15—planted on the top of a north facing slope—which is known for its low yields and tropical fruit flavors. Clone 96, planted just below, is from Dijon, France, and is a favorite of winemakers due to its characteristic minerality and refined structure. We also sourced from a third Chardonnay vineyard within the Russian River Valley near Windsor, which we picked very ripe to add more richness and bright fruit notes.

Production Notes:
The grapes were hand-harvested and whole-cluster pressed in small lots. We utilized two different yeast strains that accentuate the bright fruit flavors of Russian River Valley Chardonnay and fermented the lots in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures to capture more aromatics. This wine completed malolactic fermentation and was left sur lie in tanks with occasional stirring to add texture and depth. After light fining, the wine was bottled at the end of April 2009.

Winemaker Notes:
In 2008 was a very low yielding, yet still stylistically rich vintage for Chardonnay. Initially, there were warm constant temperatures which spurred on early bud break for Chardonnay. Unfortunately, the heaviest frost in nearly 40 years stuck on April 21 and left growers with half the crop they normally obtain! The fruit set was also off due to cold, then hot, then windy weather in May. The summer was dry and mild, with early warm, Fall weather. Fortunately, early ripening happened in late September to early October for Chardonnay. Chardonnay showed uncommon ripe flavors at lower brix levels and therefore we didn't pick as late as in the past. Also, in keeping with the style of this wine, we averaged 24.7° Brix at harvest and maintained very modest alcohol levels.

Other Notes:
Release Date: June 2009

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