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Vintage: 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008
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Appellation: Chalone
Vineyard: Brosseau
Varietal: Chardonnay
Clone: Wente
Age: 30 years
Elevation: 1600 feet
Soil: Limestone
Yield: 1-1.5 tons/acre |
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Harvested: Aug 19, 2007
Pressed: Whole cluster on
Aug 19, 2007
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Fermentation: 100% barrel ferm, little to no MLF
Barrel aging: 12 mos. in 1-3 year
FO barrels
Bottled: Unfiltered on Nov 18, 2008
Production: 78 cases
Release date: Spring 2009
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With our Brosseau Vineyard Chardonnay we often want for more zippy acidity but the exceptional minerality from those limestone soils keep us firmly rooted in the Chalone Appellation. To compensate, we use an ancient winemaking technique we discovered in the Mâconnais that is also practiced with German Rieslings. At or near veraison we pick some very green Brosseau Vineyard berries from our block. We de-stem, crush, press, filter and then refrigerate until we harvest the bulk of the block in September. At harvest, we blend in a little of the ver jus which naturally increases acidity, lowers alcohol and results in a more complex and vibrant Chardonnay. You can view us in action making the
2007 ver jus here. For the main harvest we whole cluster pressed to barrel where the wine fermented without the aide of nutrients or enhancers, employing the wild yeast from the vineyard. Likewise, malolactic fermentation is natural but does not finish due to the low pH (we do not block with sulfur).
The cooperage was a mix near neutral French oak and a 1 year old barrel. The wine was bottled without clarification, stabilization or filtration.
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Crushed wet stone, lemon rind, green apple and petrol grab your attention immediately. This elegant
and highly focused Chardonnay is unlike most of its domestic peers. It will dance across your palate with lemon zest and pear and the bracing acidity makes this a fabulous companion to anything with butter and all creatures from the sea (think oysters). |
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