2003 Chardonnay - Russian River Valley / Westside Farms
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Pam and Ron Kaiser began Westside Farms on a charming old 62-acre ranch on Westside Road in the summer of 1988. After renovating the 1869 farmstead and clearing the old prune orchard along the banks of the Russian River, they turned their attention to planting a premium chardonnay and pinot noir vineyard on 40 acres near the river. The chardonnay has proven to do particularly well in the deep, river-deposited sandy loam soils, where cool night air prolongs the ripening process.
WINEMAKING
The grapes were hand sorted and whole cluster pressed. The solids in the juice were allowed to settle overnight before the “clean“ juice was transferred to the finest French oak barrels. This wine was entirely barrel fermented, utilizing three different yeast strains to enhance flavor profile. As with all of our Chardonnays, this wine was aged sur lie for 10 months and hand stirred weekly which adds tremendous richness and complexity to the wine. Malolactic fermentation was encouraged in 75% of the barrels. This is a solid wine of great balance and expression of fruit.
WINEMAKER'S NOTES
Fresh aromas of Gravenstein apple blossoms, vanilla bean and Asian pear. Wonderfully complex and layered with rich tropical fruit, apple and pear accented with citrus notes. Impressive balance and length with refreshing, mouth-watering acidity. Truly delicious and crafted to be an ideal accompaniment to a wide array of moderately spiced foods.
Bottled: June 2004
Winemaker: Gary Farrell
Alcohol: 14.1%
Case Production: 671
Acid/pH: 0.86 / 3.32
Released: June 2005
PAST VINTAGES
2002 Chardonnay - Russian River Valley / Westside Farms