Haywood Chardonnay 1999
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This easy-drinking Chardonnay is crisp, clean and highlighted by aromas of toasty vanilla and fresh tropical fruit. Citrus and apple flavors are wound together with soft banana, vanilla and honey notes integrated with light oak flavors. The mouthfeel is full and rich on a soft, creamy texture.
Food Recommendations: This Chardonnay is a wonderful companion to a wide variety of foods. Try it with stuffed pork chops, lemon herb chicken, pasta Alfredo or sea scallops prepared in just about any fashion.
Alcohol: 13.5%
The soils are shallow - six inches to two feet – giving way to fractured red rock or volcanic tuft soil. The low nutrient levels contribute to the intense character of the wines by limiting growth and restricting leaf production. Cooling wind and fog off the mountain and from nearby San Francisco Bay keep the days temperate and the nights cool. The vineyard is comprised of eight blocks, two of which have been separated out due to their unique and distinctive characters: Rocky Terrace and Morning Sun.
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.