2017 Vintner Select Chardonnay

Lovely flavors of pear, gardenia, crushed mint, honeydew melon, lime zest, apple tart, graham crackers and kiwi introduce this expressive wine. On the palate, bright acidity balances a lavish mid-palate, leading into a finish featuring delicate mineral nuances of slate and clay.

Our Vintner Select Chardonnay is sourced from three individual blocks of chardonnay grapes, planted to clones 96, 4 and Wente, which are harvested at night, gently pressed under inert gas, racked to barrel and then fermented entirely in French oak barrels, of which only 20% are new. After primary fermentation is complete, the wines undergo a partial malolactic fermentation, which is arrested at 30% completion, and are then aged sur lies with weekly stirring for nine months.

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Appellation: Sonoma County
Vintage: 2017
Harvest: September 2017
Fermentation: 20% New French Oak
80% Neutral French Oak
Cooperage: 25% New French Oak
75% Neutral French Oak
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Alcohol: 14.4%
Bottling: July 2018
Production: 330 cases
Release Date: January 2019
Release Price: $55.00

Reviews

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  • Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Issue 240 - Rating: 91

    The 2017 Chardonnay Vintner's Select Mountaintop Vineyard reveals gregarious creme caramel, honeyed almonds and spice cake scents over a core of pineapple, warm apricots and passion fruit. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a lovely satiny texture and is packed with tropical fruit and spicy layers, finishing with a lively lift.

  • Wine Enthusiast: August 2019 - Rating: 91

    Nutty, reductive oak leads the way to a thickly textured well-made wine that's full bodied and fleshy in style. Melon, pear and tropical mango wrap around cinnamon toast and graham cracker richness, finding a balance in a lingering hint of flint. VIRGINIE BOONE