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Wine Details
Price:
Description:
The 2001 Reserve Chardonnay is made of grapes from "Finch Hollow," a small plot in our Chardonnay vineyard that in previous years was harvested by flocks of Finches and Blackbirds. This plot is characterized by particularly shallow soil with exceptional drainage. In 1996 we began bird netting all our vineyards and had our first harvest from Finch Hollow. Dimitri Tchelistcheff, our winemaker, noted that the distinct terroir of this specific plot led to intense tropical fruit character in the grapes and chose to bottle this section of the vineyard seperately under a "Reserve" designation. The 1999 Reserve Chardonnay is offered in two styles the lightly fined and filtered bottling and this the unfined and unfiltered bottling which retains all the distinctive richness and character of the wine. By not fining or filtering this Reserve Chardonnay we are able to retain even the most delicate nuances of its varietal character. The rich deep flavors of this opulent Chardonnay lingers throughout its long finish.
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Varietal Definition
Chardonnay:
Chardonnay is by far the most widely planted grape crop in California and dominates California’s cooler, coastal, quality wine regions. The natural varietal ‘taste and smell’ of Chardonnay is surprisingly unfamiliar to many wine drinkers, as its true character is often guised with dominating winemaking signatures. Chardonnay’s rather subdued primary fruit characteristics lean toward the crisp fruitiness of apples, pears and lemon, but the variety’s full body is capable of supporting a host of complementary characteristics, such as oak, butter and vanilla. Regardless of what is the appropriate style for Chardonnay, the varietal continues to dominate vineyard plantings in every corner of the world. Close attention to clonal selection has made this broad geographic and climactic range of Chardonnay viable in thoughtful viticultural hands.
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