Vineyard

The proximity to the cool fog and breezes from the bay makes the climate in Los Carneros cooler and more moderate than the wine regions further north in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. The cooler climate is ideal for growing Chardonnay.

Production

We night harvested cold whole cluster hand-picked Chardonnay grapes to ensure freshness and fruit purity. This gentle process helps the wine achieve balance as well as develop a silky smooth mouth feel and enhance the aging potential. Using cultured yeast strains the wine was fermented entirely in 60% French Oak and 40% American Oak barrels, 75% new oak in total. We also initiated a 70% secondary, malolactic fermentation, which converts tangy malic acid to creamier lactic acid. The wine was aged in barrel for 14 months on its primary yeast lees, with weekly stirring of the lees to optimize its texture, richness and complexity.