2019 Unoaked Chardonnay

“I’m a bit like a proud parent when I think that our Chardonnay was one of the first Unoaked Chardonnays introduced in the US. It helped to start a style trend that continues to be very well-liked. I feel its popularity follows food and wine preferences that have shifted towards lighter, healthier, and fresher. A glass of our 2019 Unoaked Chardonnay is refreshing by itself and a natural pairing with farm-to-table, healthy fare.”

Heady fresh white peach and honeydew melon aromas. Expansive and creamy across the palate with key-lime pie and honeycrisp apple flavors. A soft and fresh finish lingers with stone fruit and a hint of ginger. 

2019 is touted as a high-quality vintage across all of California. In Mendocino county, following a wet spring, bud break occurred later than normal yet weather remained moderate through the season. Yields came in light to normal and fruit quality is considered above average.   

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. Much of what we source is along the river and the growing conditions are very similar to the cool vineyards in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. Add a touch of Chardonnay grapes from Northern Monterey County and the resulting wine is full of fruit flavor with a firm structure.

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
TA: 0.63
pH: 3.19
Alcohol: 13.9%
RS: 0.25
UPC: 711408713651
SRP: $14.99