Vintage:

The 2000 vintage featured an early bud break, a mild, sunny spring and summer, and, in some regions, a large crop. Weather was ideal during the growing season, especially for early-ripening varieties like Chardonnay, but a cool October delayed the ripening of red varieties. In the Carneros district, a characteristically long growing season, combined with a modest crop, yielded Chardonnay grapes that reached optimum maturity in late September while retaining a desirable level of acidity.

Vineyards:

The grapes for our Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay come exclusively from the cool Carneros district, primarily from the highly regarded Hudson Vineyard. We harvest from sections of Hudson that feature a variety of small-berried Chardonnay clones, which, in conjunction with the region's typically long, cool growing season, produce fruit with intense, complex flavors.

Fermentation & Aging:

The grapes were night-harvested and whole-cluster pressed to yield fresh, pristine free run juice. After cold settling in tank for 36 hours, the must (unfermented grape juice) was transferred to French oak barrels, 75% new, for fermentation. Roughly 50% of the wine underwent a secondary, malolactic fermentation, which enhances mouth feel and imparts a slightly buttery tone. Sur lie (on the yeast lees) aging for 14 months in barrel added a creamy richness and texture to the wine, which was racked off the lees and bottled in January 2002.

Winemaker's Notes:

Our 2000 Reserve Chardonnay boasts intense, complex fruit aromas of melon, apple, gooseberry, and citrus, overlain by toasty oak tones and a hint of butteriness. Deep, dense and full on the palate, it has an amazingly long, toasty, creamy finish, which seems to last for minutes. A big, broad, very rich Chardonnay, this wine should age well in the bottle for 5-8 years.