2008 CHARDONNAY - RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY | WESTSIDE FARMS

The 2008 Westside Farms Chardonnay shows aromas of and flavors of banana, pineapple, lime and honey-baked apple. Baking spices, vanilla, marzipan and chalk dust add layers of depth. A supple texture and medium body and acidity complement this rich, balanced wine.

Growers Ron and Pam Kaiser produce premium quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on their 40 acre vineyard on Westside Road along the banks of the Russian River. The deep, river-deposited sandy loam soils, where the cool evenings prolong the ripening process, yield elegant, intense fruit.

The 2008 growing season was a roller coaster year. It began with dry, warm weather that started vines growing early. Then there were freezing temperatures during the spring (down to 23 degrees in some areas of Sonoma County) causing some damage due to frost, followed by excessive heat and high winds during bloom. Thereafter we had slightly above average temperatures, followed by slightly below average temperatures all summer long. From a winemaking perspective, the dry growing season produced the benefit of inducing “moderate stress” on the vines, which limited growth of the canopy and focused the vines’ energy on the grapes. The smaller berries with the slightly lighter crop combined to produce beautiful concentrated fruit flavors.