2015 Garden Creek Chardonnay, Estate Clonal Selection, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
A brilliant yellow straw color. Intriguing aromatics of bright apricot, nectarine, and pear fruit alongside lemon and mineral notes. Citrus oil, lemon zest and fresh lime juice, alongside ripe stone fruits of ripe peach, nectarine, and almond. Engaging underlying richness and breadth. Complex savory notes build - celery, sage, beeswax, and an earthy flintiness. Sophisticated flavors linger on the lively persistent tantalizing finish.
Vintage
2015 was a challenging winegrowing season. The year began with a cool, wet spring, leading to a smaller crop overall. Detailed hand work in the vineyards throughout the year balanced and protected the smaller crop through the warm summer and a hurried harvest with a few 100-degree days. The 2015 shows distinct flinty flavors and textures, reminiscent of the old world, and more so a Burgundian Chablis, textured with intriguing sculpted elongated acidity. As with most years, 15 different batches were converted into wine this year, demonstrating our continued efforts for better and more precise selections.
As winemakers, our intention is to reveal the true character of our land and soils through meticulous selection of individual clones. In 2015, we chose 7 of the 11 clones. Night harvesting began at midnight pre-fermentation maturations occurred 24-hours in stainless tanks allowing the skins to soften releasing gentle tannins and mineral richness, whole cluster pressing then into French barriques for slow, low temperature fermentations. Aging in French oak for 10 months, sur lie aging and stirring dependent on lot to craft texture and weight. Cellar aged for 3 years upon release.
Details
Our Other Wines
Garden Creek Tesserae
Garden Creek Vineyard, Alexander Valley
Estate Red Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon Assemblage
A wine of individuality and refined elegance with exceptional aging potential. A complex Left bank Margaux style wine of Cabernet Sauvignon accompanied by components of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Hand selected by soil variation from our estate vineyard. Aged for eight-years upon release.
WärneliusMiller Pinot Noir
Golden Fleece Vineyard, Anderson Valley
Mendocino
A Pinot Noir showcasing a classic varietal defining the intimate variation of soils in the land influenced by the cool Pacific climate capturing alluring, expressive elegant wines with texture, structure and tension.