Winemaker Notes
Chardonnay is planted throughout the southern part of the Truchard Estate Vineyard. The various marine soils and cooler temperatures make the Carneros region ideal for growing Chardonnay. Grapes are harvested cold then whole cluster pressed. The wine is barrel fermented in French oak, and aged on the lees for 10 months. These techniques produce a complex, full-bodied wine with a delicate structure. The 2003 Chardonnay has a floral nose of tropical fruit, fresh pear, and lemon zest; highlighted with honeysuckle, vanilla, and spice. The mouth is creamy - filled with intense flavors of Eureka lemon, apple, honey, and fig. Bright acidity provides a lengthy finish of citrus, mineral, and toasted oak.
"Tony and Jo Ann Truchard own 270 acres of vineyards in Carneros, where they grow 10 different grape varieties. They sell most of their grapes, reserving 20 percent for their own wines, which can rank among California's best. This year their Chardonnay rises to the top. Sedimentary soils and cooler temperatures make the Carneros region ideal for growing Chardonnay. 1,059 cases made."
-Wine Spectator
Professional Ratings
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.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.