Vineyards

The grapes for our Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay come exclusively from the cool Carneros district in southwestern Napa - 95% from the esteemed Hudson Vineyard, which cultivates four superb, small-berried clones of Chardonnay. In conjunction with the Carneros region's typically long, cool growing season, which ensures slow, even ripening of the grapes, these prized clones deliver fruit with intense, concentrated varietal flavors.

Vintage

The 2002 vintage, which Cakebread winemaker Julianne Laks calls "a great vintage for Chardonnay," was characterized by its remarkable climatic consistency. Flowering occurred normally in mid-May, and mild temperatures prevailed throughout the growing season, with few heat spikes and no rain, ensuring the fruit ripened evenly and attained full maturity with excellent acidity. The grapes for our Reserve Chardonnay were harvested between September 13th and September 30th with a textbook balance of sugars and acids.

Winemaking

The grapes were night-harvested and whole-cluster pressed to yield fresh, pure free run juice. After cold-settling in tank for 36 hours to enhance flavor extraction, the must (unfermented grape juice) was inoculated with two different yeast strains tailored to Chardonnay and transferred to French oak barrels, 55% new, for fermentation. Roughly 17% of the wine underwent a secondary, malolactic fermentation, which enhances mouth-feel and imparts a slightly buttery tone. Sur lie (on the primary yeast lees) aging, with bi-weekly stirring, for 14 months in barrel added richness and texture to the wine, which was racked off the lees and bottled in December 2003.

Tasting Notes

Our 2002 Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay offers a beautifully fresh, vivid aroma of ripe pears white peaches, and minerals, with complexing scents of butterscotch and spicy oak. On the palate, the wine unveils a viscous, but refined and silky texture, with supremely generous flavors of green apple, melon and citrus fruit framed by spicy oak tones and refreshing acidity. Youthfully compact and with tremendous reserves of deep, expansive Chardonnay fruit, this superlative white wine will richly reward 5-8 years of additional bottle age.