Winemaker's Notes:
The nose opens with a rich intensity of ripe pear and baked apple aromas, while undertones of butterscotch and vanilla provide complexity. On the palate, these fruit flavors intensify and are complemented by pretty notes of balanced oak. The initial creaminess on the palate evolves into a crisp finish that makes this wine a perfect match for a wide variety of cuisines. Try it with sea bass in a ginger coconut broth or a creamy pasta topped with crab or shrimp.
The Chardonnay grapes for this wine were carefully selected from the cooler regions of the Alexander Valley. The juice was fermented separately in small lots and each lot was blind tasted before the final blend was determined. The majority of the blend (85 percent) was fermented in barrel, which helped to develop the final wine's complexity and richness. The remaining portion, fermented in tank, preserved its bright fruit crispness, creating balance in the finished wine. Approximately fifty percent of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation and all was aged sur lie, with periodic stirring of the lees. – Mick Schroeter
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