A wine made from grapes grown on the legendary Rochioli Estate, our neighbors on Westside Road south of Healdsburg. This is a classic Russian River Valley Chardonnay, full flavored bu still showing minerality and elegance. We love to drink it with a few years of aging.
Grapes were hand-picked at night and whole-cluster pressed while cold.
The juice was drawn into French-oak barrels (30% new) for an uninoculated fermentation by our "resident" yeast and natural-occuring bacteria. We stirred the lees every month through winter and early spring (a practice called “Batonage”) and let the wine "rest" until early summer. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered just before the next harvest began. The 2023 vintage was marked by a cool and rainy spring followed by warm weather ripening in the late summer, allowing us to pick the grapes at optimal balance.
When young, this wine is full of floral and fruit aromas and flavors with a delicate oaky nuance arising from contact with 30% new French Oak barrels. As the wine ages it develops a fresh sun-drenched hay character and it takes on some honey and nutty notes.
In case you are interested - Rated 93 Points by Wine Enthusiast Magazine