Appellation:
El Dorado County
Winemaker Notes:
2023 was one of the best growing seasons we have seen here in the Sierras. It was characterized by 200% of normal rainfall, many significant storms, and a cold winter with cooler weather all summer. Such a welcome relief from heatwaves and droughts of prior years. We had several snowstorms in March dropping 6" of snow here, which is exceptional. The heavy rain continued through May, making for a hectic start to the growing season. Bud break was a month later and with a cool growing season the grapes sat longer on the vines, well into October, developing their amazing flavors and better balanced sugars and acidity.
We source our Chardonnay grapes from a neighboring special 2,800-altitude vineyard in El Dorado with 40-year old vines, completely hidden in a forest. The previous year we were unable to get fruit, as a terrible frost destroyed all the grapes, then in 2023 the bears broke in but fortunately we beat them to the fruit!
We harvested on September 27 at a Brix of 23 and pH 3.2. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed with a gentle bladder press and then crash-chilled to settle. Cold-fermented over 15 days with no secondary malolactic fermentation. We chose not to add oak, so you can taste the pure varietal, resulting in a crisp, clean, fruity and refreshingly different Chardonnay.
This Chardonnay is a zesty-white with a lighter body, crisp acidity and citrus finish. It has aromas of apple, pear and flavors of tropical fruit. Perfect for such foods as chicken, fresh salads, grilled fish and a lighter pasta dish.
Vineyard Notes:
Our Chardonnay grapes are sourced from a neighboring high elevation (2,800 ft) vineyard in El Dorado County. Hidden behind a forest lies a beautiful hillside vineyard with 40 year old vine Chardonnay. The owner has been farming these grapes since they were planted and we worked closely with him to pick the perfect time to harvest. The vineyard benefits from cooler evening temperatures at that altitude and the old vines dig deep into the mineral soil producing exceptional grape flavors.
