The Vineyards
The beauty of unoaked Chardonnay is its pure expression of the fruit. For this reason, we sourced all of the grapes from Dutton Ranch, one of the most highly regarded growers in the Russian River Valley . The grapes for this vintage are sourced from the Gerbeth Block, where coastal fog is present nearly every morning and night, with sunny afternoons that motivate flavor development. This block of vineyard contains clones 15 and 96. Clone 15 is known for its low yields and tropical fruit flavors. Clone 96 is from Dijon , France , and is favorite of winemakers, due to its low yields and palate characteristics of stone fruit, minerality and refined structure. The use of both clones creates a well-balanced wine with the length and perfume that represents the ability of the Russian River Valley to create beautiful Chardonnays.

The Vintage
The saying “slow and steady wins the race” is the theme for 2006. Late rains in spring delayed flowering and fruit set by almost six weeks in the spring, which helped lower yields. As the summer progressed, the weather remained cooler than average, continuing the slow, turtle-speed ripening. By September, the grapes were three weeks behind their usual harvest schedule—especially the Dijon clone 96, known for ripening early. As a result, the grapes were picked in small lots as they began to ripen at different times, starting on September 25 and ending October 20. The yields were below average, but of very high quality grapes, and the cool weather created lean, crisp and elegant wines with the balance and minerality akin to a white Burgundy .