Tangley Oaks Mendocino Chardonnay 2013
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2015-
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These lot numbers are printed on the bottles of Tangley Oaks wines, and are a testament to the true expression of the grape varietal, the vintage and the appellation. In short, they indicate the wine is the very best of the vintage. During the winemaking process, Tangley Oaks winemakers follow all the time-honored methods until they reach a critical point. This is when the Tangley Oaks winemakers must select the lots — representing the absolute best parcels from the vineyards that are worthy of bottling.
Each member of the Tangley Oaks winemaking team tastes through each lot, carefully assessing the fruit, balance and tannins. This process is repeated for every varietal. Only when the winemaking team fully agrees on the one lot that best represents the varietal, appellation and vintage is the lot number chosen. This is the only way to select the best quality wines for the most discriminating palates.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.