Vineyards
We craft this delicious wine from nine distinctive, small-berried clones of Chardonnay planted in our estate vineyard near Booneville in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County. One of California’s loveliest wine regions, Anderson Valley follows the Navarro River as it drains into the Pacific Ocean at Albion on the Mendocino Coast. With dry, temperate summer days cooled by morning and evening fog and afternoon breezes from the Pacific, it’s an ideal environment in which to cultivate world-class Chardonnay. Harvesting and fermenting each clonal lot separately prior to blending enables winemaker Julianne Laks to fashion a distinctive, full-bodied Chardonnay of impressive intensity, complexity and balance.

Vintage 2007
After the long, cool growing seasons of 2005 and 2006, 2007 brought a change of pace. Winter and spring were unusually dry with above-average temperatures, which accelerated budbreak and bloom. The summer months were mild, with few hot days, allowing our Anderson Valley Chardonnay grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. Coupled with modest crop yields and ideal harvest weather, these conditions produced perfectly ripened fruit, which we harvested September 27 and 28, 2007.

Winemaking
100% of the grapes were hand-harvested at night and whole-cluster-pressed to maximize freshness and purity. After settling the juice in tank, we transferred each clonal lot to French oak barrels, 32% new, for fermentation. In 2007, we fermented using 26% wild yeasts from the vineyard, which enhanced the wine’s complexity and expression of terroir. To preserve its vibrant fruit character, only 15% of the lots underwent malolactic fermentation, with 100% aging nine months on the yeast lees in barrel, with periodic stirring to promote superior richness and complexity.

Tasting Notes
Our 2007 Anderson Valley Chardonnay displays fresh, fragrant aromas of ripe yellow apple, peach and sweet melon, with subtle hints of toasty oak, vanilla cream and mineral adding complexity. On the rich, round palate, luscious, creamy flavors of peach and ripe apple are balanced by bright acidity, with a refreshing mineral tone enlivening the long, crisp finish. Rich and concentrated, yet fresh and lively, this vibrant Chardonnay is delicious for current drinking, but will age well in bottle for another 3-5 years.