2007 Chardonnay - Carneros / Carneros Selection

VINTAGE
2007 was a vintage marked by a dry winter, and a growing season that was fairly mild and cool. With some unsettled weather during bloom, there was some shatter which led to a lighter crop than normal, especially with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Berry size was small, which led to great concentration in all varieties. Late August heat got harvest rolling with mild weather following through September, giving ideal ripening conditions for all of our varieties.

WINEMAKING
The creation of “cuvees” is clearly among our most important and exciting tasks, resulting in the finest possible blends utilizing all our of our best vineyard sources. This bottling is exclusively from very unique blocks in the Ramal Vineyard. The wine was barrel fermented in 100% French oak barrels for seven months, 41% new, 30% one year old, and 29% two years old. This wine is an example of how individual vineyard nuances express themselves with one another, creating a more complex and intriguing wine.

WINEMAKER'S NOTES
This 2007 Carneros Chardonnay has bright aromas of Bartlett pear, Meyer lemon and baked apples. Toasty brioche, roasted nuts, vanilla and graham cracker are intertwined along with a gravely minerality. The wine shows medium body and medium plus acidity leaving a long apple and pear finish with a touch of toasted grains (barley and oats) and spicy oak. This wine pairs wonderfully with a pan-roasted day boat scallop finished with butter popcorn foam.

Winemaker: Susan Reed
Appellation: Carneros
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Harvested: Sept. 21-29, 2007
Acidity: 3.41 pH, 6.68 g/L T.A.
Alcohol: 14.2%
Barrel age: 7 months, 100% French Oak
Bottled: June 2008 
Cases Produced: 780