Brass Tacks Chardonnay 2019
Winemaker Notes
"Brass Tacks is my tribute to the legacy of California’s historical winemaking practices of blending fruit from different vineyards to create rich, flavorful and harmonious wines.”
Brass Tacks was born from one of Daniel LeFrancois’s favorite phrases, “Let’s get down to brass tacks”, meaning “to the point”. When he began Brass Tacks, he did so with the goal of crafting wines that are true expressions of California’s wine growing regions and fruit.
Daniel starts by sourcing fruit from premier regions throughout California, each selected to add specific nuances to the final wine. Through traditional winemaking practices, Daniel creates wines that are reflective of classic varietal characteristics, resulting in approachable wines that are flavorful, harmonious, and food-friendly.
California’s most praised white wine, Chardonnay is also the state’s most planted white grape variety. Diverse terrain and microclimates allow for an incredible range of wine styles.
Chardonnay planted in the cooler, coastal zones takes on bright characteristics like lemon zest, key lime, green apple and wet flint. For this style, look to the chilly Sonoma Coast, Carneros, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands and Edna Valley.
The inland zones of California’s coast, such as the Russian River, Sonoma, Napa and Livermore Valleys maintain a more Goldilocks-esque climate where both styles go. Early picking retains acidity and creates a leaner style but leaving the grapes to hang creates an approachable Chardonnay, balancing richness and finesse.
Chardonnay also plays a major part in the sparkling wine production of the Anderson Valley and Carneros.