2017 Chardonnay 750 Ml

Description

Some Sonoma Chardonnay wineries slather on the butter but here on Rhinefarm, we like to strike a tasty balance of old and new world style. To help achieve this, we’re fortunate enough to work with a combination of 45- and 12-year-old vines planted in the coolest part of our ranch where Mother Nature funnels chilly Pacific breezes through the Petaluma Gap. Utilizing that cooling affect, we strive for balanced vines with canopies that protect the fruit as much as possible from direct sunlight to preserve the beautiful aromatic characteristics and pick early to capture the natural acidity. Each nuanced portion of the various blocks of Chardonnay offer slightly different flavor profiles which we capture by fermenting separately. We select one small portion each year to ferment in stainless steel tank to capture the brightest natural acidity and ferment the remainder (~80 percent) in French oak barrels. Used barrels in combination of once, twice, three and four times used are an extremely important part of this program to allow for oak influence without dominating the flavors. A biblical winter deluge and mild spring fostered excessive vegetative growth that required meticulous canopy management. That theme continued as the season progressed into a beautiful, but hot summer, with harvest being kickstarted early in late-August by a surprise heat wave. Things then cooled down, slowing ripening for red grapes and allowing them to reach optimal maturity. With prominent flavors, great color, and intense aromatics across the board for reds and whites, 2017 was another stellar vintage for quality.

In a world of Chardonnay lovers and haters, we are humbled that the style driven by our Rhinefarm Vineyard fruit appears to bridge the gap as the insatiable demand for us to produce more of this beloved Chardonnay continues. Aromatic and bright with lemon rind, early harvest melon, jasmine blossoms, and minerals this medium-bodied Chardonnay is full of juicy white nectarine and key lime balanced by zesty acidity and a clean finish belying its ample mouthfeel and texture. Perfect for sipping, quaffing, pairing and changing opinions.