2006 Napa Valley Chardonnay
Analysis
Grape
Source: 100%
Napa Valley
40% Napa-Carneros
Harvest
date September
14th and 27th
Brix
at harvest 24.8
degrees
Fermentation
and Aging
Press
Cycle: Whole cluster, no crush
Yeast
Clone: T306
Malolactic
Clone: Viniflora oenos
66% fermented in new American oak 132 gallon
puncheons, 34% fermented very cool (52
degrees) in
tank.
Aging: 100%
in American oak, 50% new, 50% one-year
old. 69% in puncheon (132 gallons), 31%
in 60 gallon barrels.
Bottling
Date: July
24, 2007
Production: 331
cases (12x750ml)
Chemistry
at bottling:
pH: 3.7
Total Acidity: 4.8 grams/liter
Alcohol: 13.83%
Free Sulfur Dioxide: 31 parts per million
Total Sulfur Dioxide: 107 parts per million
Notes: This
wine is really two wines in one; a portion
was fermented in oak to give it richness,
butteriness and complexity, while the rest
was fermented very cold to retain the lovely “fruit” character
that typifies really golden-ripe
Chardonnay grapes. This combination is
the perfect way to make Chardonnay. The
nose is rich and complex with bright apple-fruit
and more “deep” tropical-fruit
and toasty oak characteristics.
The smells come through in the
rich-round mouth-feeling flavors.
On top of the apple and tropical
flavors there is a medley of spice
notes—particularly
celery-seed, cinnamon and vanilla.
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