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Russian River Valley
2022 River West Chardonnay
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Winemaker Notes
Our River West Vineyard Chardonnay features enticing aromas of lemon curd, apple pie and graham cracker, along with flavors of baked golden apple, pie crust and a sweet floral undertone. French and Eastern European barrel aging brings a measure of dusty oak tones and notes of butterscotch, tempered by a balanced acidity. Enjoy this Chardonnay with a variety of salty cheeses, creamy soups or grilled pork chops.
Vineyard Notes
The River West Vineyard is located on Westside Road, on a low riverside bench, in the far northern end of the Russian River Valley. The soil is predominantly Yolo sandy-silt loam but with a pocket of gravelly Cortina soil in one block. It has been said that Chardonnay shows the hand of the winemaker more than other varietals. Our winemaker, Greg Morthole, believes there is some truth in that, but also believes the best vineyard sites yield fruit that distinctively express the characteristics of their location in the finished wine. Gregs delicate signature is embedded in each vintage as favored blocks and clones from River West are blended to show off the terroir of that site. The result is a delicious Chardonnay that shows
characteristics of its origins derived from careful and deliberate winemaking choices to highlight our best lots.
Production Notes
The 2022 vintage was very mild. Rain from the previous autumn was light, and the new year entered warm and dry with daytime highs up to 70F in early spring. An unusual sprinkle of rain in early summer was no cause for concern, and the temperature turned predictably hot a few days in June as usual, but the season was mild overall, with most summer days peaking around 85-90F. An early harvest came as no surprise with the seasonable weather, as we picked the blocks over a week, from August 17, well before a big heat wave which came ten days later.
Other Notes
* Our 2022 River West Chardonnay is a vegan wine.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2022
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Russian River Valley
Acid
0.65g/100mL
pH
3.27
Aging
12 months in French and Eastern European oak barrels, 35% new
Alcohol %
13.5
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