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Made entirely from fruit grown at our estate vineyard, the 2004 Chardonnay is an extremely fine and delicate wine with aromas of stone fruit and brioche. Ten months of sur lie aging in 100 percent French oak barrels gives texture and imparts complex aromas of stone fruits, vanilla and hazelnut. As is typical of Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay, the acidity is firm and bright and the wine possesses gobs of minerality from our unique limestone site, making this an age-worthy Chardonnay. I like to call Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay the white wine for red wine drinkers. Its rich flavors, distinctive minerality and crisp acidity make it a versatile wine to complement rich, robust dishes such as pasta in cream sauces, roasted salmon, grilled chicken breast and pork chops.

Our Chenin Blanc was 100 percent whole-cluster pressed. We fermented the grapes in stainless steel tanks at a very cool temperature to retain the fresh fruit aromas of this wonderful grape. The wine was aged for eight months in French oak barrels, of which 10 percent were new. Our 2005 Chalone Vineyard Chenin Blanc is a lovely wine, offering aromas of cooked peaches and bright flavors of fresh white peaches and oranges. Beautifully balanced, the wine is medium bodied, with a delightful and racy acidity and great finish. Delicious as an aperitif, this Chenin Blanc also goes very nicely with everything from melon and prosciutto to chicken salad, Thai curries and spicy Mexican dishes.

Our Chenin Blanc was 100 percent whole-cluster pressed. We fermented the grapes in stainless steel tanks at a very cool temperature to retain the fresh fruit aromas of this wonderful grape. The wine underwent a slow malolactic fermentation and was aged for nine months in French oak barrels, of which 20 percent were new. Our 2004 Chalone Vineyard Chenin Blanc is a lovely wine, with a subtle medley of peach, tropical fruit and a fascinating mineral note in the nose. Beautifully balanced, the wine is medium bodied, with a delightful and racy acidity and great finish. While it is delicious as an aperitif, this Chenin Blanc goes very nicely with everything from classic matches such as melon and prosciutto to barbecued chicken, Thai curries and baked ham.

Made entirely from fruit grown at our estate vineyard, the 2005 Chardonnay is an extremely fine and delicate wine with aromas of stone fruit and brioche. Ten months of sur lie aging in 100 percent French oak barrels gives texture and imparts complex aromas of stone fruits, vanilla and hazelnut. As is typical of Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay, the acidity is firm and bright and the wine possesses a great deal of minerality from our unique limestone site, making this an age-worthy Chardonnay.

Similar in color and texture to our Pinot Noir, the Chalone Vineyard Grenache is produced using classic Burgundian techniques. The grapes were destemmed only and poured into open top fermenters. The cap was punched down twice daily and the wine was drained to barrel at dryness. The wine was aged in French oak, 20% of which was new, for 10 months. The wine is 93% Grenache and 7% Syrah.This is a light to medium bodied wine with a lovely, smooth texture and balanced acidity. It reveals lush aromas of raspberries and pomegranates, following with flavors of chocolate covered raspberries. Enjoy it paired with a wide range of dishes, from cassoulet, to grilled tuna steaks, to spicy, barbecued chicken

The new Pinot Noir clones, planted in 1997, are really showing their potential with the 2005 vintage. The wine is darkly colored and amazingly opulent, with fantastic fruit intensity leaning toward red cherries and strawberries. Firm in body, with big tannins, this wine has amazing texture and length of finish. The ten months it spent in French oak integrated the fruit and tannins into a truly hedonistic glass of wine. Pair with roasted turkey, seared duck with cherry sauce, grilled salmon and wild mushroom risotto.

The grapes are completely estate grown and the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. About a third of the barrels were new. We blended in three percent Viognier for spice and heightened fruitiness and six percent Grenache to add a touch of perfume. At Chalone, we think of Syrah as Pinot Noir on steroids, so we take great care to prevent excessive harsh tannins in the wine. Our Syrah has intense blackberry and cherry fruit aromas with ripe, soft tannins and a lengthy finish.

Similar in color and texture to our Pinot Noir, our Grenache is produced using classic Burgundian methodology. The grapes were destemmed only and poured into open top fermenters. The cap was punched down twice daily and the wine was drained to barrel at dryness.

Our Pinot Blanc was whole-cluster pressed with no crushing or destemming of the grapes. The 21-day fermentation took place half in barrel with natural yeast, and half in stainless steel, inoculated with yeast. We then aged the wine for 9 months in French oak barrels to enhance the finish. We've found that leaving the wine on the lees adds the signature hazelnut character typical of Chalone white wines and builds roundness and finish. This lovely wine offers bright flavors of crisp apple and brioche. It has a wonderful smooth and creamy texture, medium to full body and balanced acidity. Enjoy it on its own as an aperitif before a meal, or paired with chicken salad with tarragon and walnuts, poached dilled salmon or creamy pasta Alfredo.

Our Pinot Blanc was whole-cluster pressed with no crushing or de-stemming of the grapes. Picking occurred on two consecutive days and the wine was 85 percent cold fermented in stainless steel tanks and 15 percent barrel fermented. We aged the wine for 10 months in French oak barrels to enhance the finish. We've found that leaving the wine on the lees adds the signature hazelnut character typical of Chalone white wines and builds mouthfeel and finish. The result is a wine with intense fruit aromas of peaches, pears and hints of mango and citrus.

The new Pinot Noir clones, planted in 1997, are starting to show their potential with the 2004 vintage. The wine is darkly colored and amazingly opulent, with fantastic fruit intensity leaning toward red cherries and strawberries. Firm in body, with bigger tannins and a bit more rustic than the 2003, this wine has amazing texture and length of finish. The ten months it spent in French oak integrated the fruit and tannins into a truly hedonistic glass of wine.

As our Syrah vineyard matures, we are seeing the fruit intensity and texture go from good to great. Due to gentle fruit handling, the Chalone Vineyard 2004 Syrah is effusively fruity, with aromas of dark Bing cherries and blackberries. Ten months in French oak added sweet vanilla and firmed up the naturally soft tannins. We refer to the Chalone style of Syrah as “Pinot Noir on steroids,” alluding to its soft texture and intense fruit. Small additions of Grenache (5 percent) and Viognier (3 percent) add complexity and lift the aromas, giving more interest to Syrah’s inherently ponderous nature. The depth of fruit and complexity of our Syrah suggest robust foods such as duck breast in a Syrah sauce or ratatouille over polenta.