2009 Chardonnay - Carneros / Carneros Selection
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Vineyard
The creation of "cuvées" is clearly among our most important and exciting tasks, resulting in the finest possible blends utilizing all our best sources. This vintage is sourced from some of our top Chardonnay vineyard properties.
Winemaking Notes
2009 was a long vintage - Harvest kicked off about a week to ten days later than normal for us due in part to a cool wet spring. This inclement weather extended bloom time and caused smaller crop sizes in some areas.
A nearly ideal growing season followed with below normal summer temperatures, limited frost damage, fewer hot days, and saving rains in early May producing excellent quality fruit with great flavors, color development and in many cases lower sugar content.
Later in the growing season cool foggy mornings were followed by warm sunny afternoons, giving us absolutely ideal grape ripening conditions - a classic Russian River Valley weather pattern that allows grapes to develop full flavor maturity over an extended growing season while retaining their bright, natural acidity.
Harvest was a mixture of both periods of heat followed by periods of rain to cool and slow things down. Chardonnay and Pinot have shown excessively small berries –resulting in wonderful, concentrated flavors. 2009 should be an excellent vintage!
Tasting Notes
The 2009 Carneros Selection Chardonnay shows a lemon-gold color with medium intensity and bright clarity in appearance. The developing nose is of medium plus intensity showing ripe honeydew melon, mango, papaya and honeysuckle.
Additional notes of French vanilla, honey and popcorn support the sweet fruit. The palate shows medium acidity with medium plus flavor intensity, body and length. Drink this rich, creamy wine with cedar-planked salmon.
Technical Notes
AVA: Carneros (Sonoma)
Harvested: Sept. 9 – Oct. 1, 2009
Bottled: June 9, 2010
Cases Produced: 1721
Lab Analysis: 14.3% alcohol, 3.44 pH, 6.40 gm/L titratable acidity
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Retail Price: $32