Markham Chardonnay

Description

WINEMAKERS NOTES Freshly picked Bartlett pear and Golden Delicious apple aromas are highlighted by decadent vanilla and steely mineral notes. Rich and lush on the palate, the apple and pear flavors carry through from the nose. The sur-lie barrel aging gives layers of texture to the mouthfeel allowing the new toasty oak its own chance to shine. We enjoy our Chardonnay by the glass or with roasted chicken Caesar salad wraps loaded down with avocado!VINEYARD NOTES Grown predominately in the Oak Knoll AVA, our two estate Chardonnay vineyards have a definite tropical flair when brought together in this bottling. Our Oak Knoll ranch was originally planted with both the Wente clone and the Dijon clone; however our newer plantings at both vineyards blend of field selections and clone 4. Fluffy bale loam soils dominate while Trubody has heavier soils that are balanced by utilizing no-till cultivation and deficit irrigation. Both vineyards sit at the edge of the fog intrusion zone and the benefit from the cooling breezes during the harvest season. Partial malolactic fermentation provides texture to our blend while still allowing the natural acid to shine. As we enter the process of replanting the Oak Knoll ranch, we look to our neighbors vineyards to maintain aromas and flavors consistent with our estates. Our 2013 vintage was 85% estate grown, produced and bottled.HARVEST NOTES The 2013 growing season was perfect! Below average rainfall, early spring bud break, even fruit set, and a hot summer. All of us in the Napa Valley fast-tracked our summer bottlings to make room for an early harvest. However the month of August cooled enough to allow multiple vineyard visits confirming that our white varietals had above average yields. This, in turn, was slowing down their arrival to the winery; meanwhile the small berry size on our red grapes had them rushing ahead of schedule. Fast & furious was the ultimate pace of the vintage from beginning to end!- Markham