2009 CHARDONNAY - RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY | RUSSIAN RIVER SELECTION

ABOUT THIS WINE | The creation of cuvées is among our most important and exciting tasks, resulting in the finest possible blends utilizing all our best sources. This vintage is sourced from some the top vineyard properties in the Russian River Valley, creating a fine example of the character and expressiveness of Chardonnay grown here. VINTAGE | 2009 was a long and cool vintage. A cool, wet Spring extended bloom time and reduced crop size in some areas. Early May rains contributed to excellent flavor, color development and lower sugar content. Summer temperatures were below normal, with limited heat spikes. Later in the growing season cool foggy mornings were followed by warm sunny afternoons, giving us absolutely ideal grape ripening conditions. The classic Russian River Valley weather pattern allowed grapes to develop full flavor maturity over an extended growing season while retaining their bright, natural acidity. Harvest kicked off a week to ten days later than normal. Chardonnay and Pinot have shown excessively small berries resulting in wonderful, concentrated flavors.