Benziger Chardonnay Carneros

Description

Tasting Notes Our Sonoma County Chardonnay is a vibrant, engaging wine that bursts with mouth-watering fruit and lively acid. Flavors of apple, pear, citrus and ripe apricot engage the palate, while subtle, creamy hints of butter and meringue unfold. The final presentation is a luscious finish, leaving the palate refreshed and wanting more. We suggest pairing with a roasted Dijon chicken or crab cakes.Winemaking This cool climate gives us Chardonnay with natural acidity. All of the fruit was whole-cluster pressed before cold barrel fermentation. We fermented and aged the wine in Hungarian oak barrels for nine months. The traditional practice of batonnage was used to build body, texture and to integrate flavors.Vintage 2013 was an intense harvest. The normal 6-8 week harvest was done in 5, and in some cases we were picking all different varietals on the same day, at the same time. It was one of the earlier harvests to start and finish in a decade. Vines started their development quite early this year because of the dry weather, so, in effect there was plenty of hang-time.Benziger Farming Practices At Benziger Family Winery, we are dedicated to winemaking that reveals the true character of the vineyard, the varietal and the vintage in certified-sustainable wines defined by individuality and the passion of the people who make them. This wine was made with grapes grown by certified sustainable farming methods. Our sustainable philosophy promotes natural vineyard management, restoration of the land and biodiversity on the estate. We believe these practices result in wines that reflect the authentic flavors, aromas and character of the vineyard. – Benziger Family Winery