cabernet sauvignon :: chardonnay :: merlot :: pinot grigio

 2005 California
 

Bright lemon-yellow color; lifted citrus and tropical fruit aromas with subtle oak and butter tones; rich, round palate with fresh tropical fruit flavors and hints of butter cream, oak toast, and baked bread. (No, seriously!)

VINTAGE 2005
First it was warm (late winter), then it was cool and rainy (spring), then it was still cool (summer), then it finally got warm (late September), then we lucked out and had a classic California Indian Summer (October). Net-net? The grapes hung out on the vine for a really long time, which resulted in very concentrated flavors. The 2005 wines have it all – intensity, balance and persistence – which suggests they could also be Russian gymnasts.

VINEYARDS
The grapes came primarily from California’s Central Coast region – mainly Monterey and Santa Barbara counties – which is a very cool place in more ways than one.

WINEMAKING
We night-harvested the fruit to maximize freshness and pressed it directly to stainless steel tanks (no brutal crushing of these precious grapes), where it cold-settled for 12-24 hours. The clear, cold juice then fermented at cool temperatures to retain freshness and fruit purity. After fermentation completed, the wine aged on the yeast lees, with roughly 50% undergoing a secondary, malolactic fermentation (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt) for added texture, richness and complexity. A judicious dose of French oak furthered enhanced the wine’s engaging flavors and elegant structure. (That’s wine talk for “It tastes really good.”)

2005 Chardonnay | 2004 Chardonnay