2010 Lavender Hill Chardonnay
Coming from our Lavender Hill Vineyard in Carneros, this Chardonnay is utterly unique in its structure. For the first time, we experimented with a concrete barrel and the results are amazing! Many Chardonnays can be over-oaked, resulting in huge buttery flavors that overpower the subtle characteristics of the grape. By aging part of the juice in our first concrete barrel and then combining it with juice aged in oak, we found that the concrete added back in those bright, fresh, crisp elements that allow the true nature of Chardonnay to shine through.
In the 2010 Lavender Hill Chardonnay, the oak notes are subtle but still present, boosting the aromas and giving the wine a robust mouthfeel. Beautiful aromas of apple, pineapple and honeysuckle on the nose give way to a full, round, viscous mouthfeel and floral and tropical flavors on the palate. Pineapple and guava are forward on the palate, leaving a clean and luscious finish in your mouth.
Approachable upon release, this wine is very food friendly (think herbed lemon chicken) and a truly delightful Chardonnay experience.
Varietal : 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: Napa Valley
Harvest Date: October 11th and 14th
Barrel Aging: 53% new French oak, 27% new American Oak, 20% Concrete
Production: 150 cases
Alcohol: 14.63
TA: 7 g/L
pH: 3.53