theCompass
 Home   Map   Blog Roll   WineCompass   Wine 101   My Compass 

Chardonnay - Livermore Valley

Chardonnay - Livermore Valley Wine Details
Price: $17.00 per bottle

Description: The grapes for this wine come from two vineyards located in the western end of Livermore Valley. Cooler air from the San Francisco Bay enters the valley here creating a microclimate which is cooler than most of the valley. This helps to slow the ripening and extend the time before harvest. The extra time the grapes spend on the vine intensify the flavor of the wine. The wine was barrel aged in older barrels to focus more on the fruit and less on the oak. Subtle oak complements flavors of melon and honey. Malolactic fermentation adds a delicate butter flavor to this classic chardonnay.

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.


Reviews




Back to Rubidoux Ridge Vineyard information