2021 Chardonnay, Green AcresSonoma Coast
Elegantly textured with a striking depth of flavor balanced by lively tension, our 2021 Green Acres Hill Chardonnay unfurls in lush layers of Gravenstein apple, Alpine strawberry and ripe mango, complexed by notes of baking spice, sweet grains and yeast. The palate is both deeply concentrated and precise with fresh apple pie notes lingering on the extremely long, mouthwatering finish.
Vineyard: One of the most sought-after sections of the storied Sangiacomo Vineyard in Carneros, Green Acres Hill is distinguished by its coveted blend of site and clone. Perched on a knoll overlooking Fowler Creek and planted predominantly to the venerable ‘Old Wente’ clone, the site’s sustainably farmed vines benefit from well-drained, alluvial-gravelly soils and the region’s signature afternoon winds, which combine to extend the growing season, reduce the yields and concentrate the flavors. Given our long-standing relationship with both the family and vineyard – this is our fifteenth vintage from this block - we have select rows reserved for Saxon Brown that are farmed to our specifications, providing us each year with extremely low yields of Chardonnay noted for its fruit concentration and natural acidity. In particular, the near perfect 2021 growing season amplified the buoyant fruit and rich mouthfeel characteristic of this ideal combination of site and clonal selection.
Winemaking: In keeping with our site-specific focus, we employ similar winemaking techniques for each of our Chardonnays so that the individual character of the vineyard is what truly distinguishes each bottling. Grapes for our 2021 Green Acres Hill Chardonnay were harvested in the early morning and transported immediately to the winery where they were whole fruit pressed. After two days of cold settling, the juice was racked to small French Burgundy barrels, inoculated with a low rate of Burgundian yeast, and cold barrel fermented at 58-65°F for 100 days. The wine was aged sur lies for an additional 17 months, undergoing true secondary malolactic fermentation in the spring. The wine was bottled unfiltered and unfined.
Tech:
Case Production: 193 cases
Harvest Date: Sept. 11, 2021
Brix at Harvest: 23.9
Clone: Old Wente, 72
Aging: 17mos, 50% new French oak
Bottled: March 9, 2021
Alc: 14.1%
TA: 6.3
pH: 3.38