You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief as the last clusters of the 2021 harvest season arrived on our crush-pad. Mother Nature gave us a nearly perfect growing season in 2021, and the quality of the wines is outstanding across all varietals. While the extreme drought continued and did have some impact on yields, the slightly smaller crop was loaded with concentrated flavors and excellent balance.

The 2021 Chardonnay, CA, once again highlights our commitment to artfully blending for richness, intensity, and balance from our long-term vineyard partners in Napa and Sonoma Carneros, Monterey, and Santa Barbara counties. The organically certified grapes were hand harvested at night and 100% barrel fermented in our custom-designed barrel room at a cool 48°F. This long, cool fermentation ensures optimal lees contact for richness and depth, and helps to prevent malolactic fermentation, thus preserving the bright natural acidity from our coastal vineyard sites. The wine was rested for 10 months in 100% American Oak barrels which contributes to the richness and heightened complexity of this wine.

This wine exudes tropical aromas of juicy pineapple, kiwi, and mandarin orange. Fresh lemon zest mingles with subtle hints of vanilla, guava, and orange blossom. The palate is round, full bodied and boasts a wonderful core of bright fruit that is balanced beautifully by the subtle oak and ample natural acidity.