1997 Camp Meeting Ridge Chardonnay
Tasting Notes
1997 represents the achievement of a dream for the Flowers winegrowing team. With winery newly completed, we were able to rigorously separate our home-ranch blocks and "listen to the wine", making each lot as distinctly as it desired. Entering into dialogue with the wine is what we like to do best, and the 1997 wines asked for less new oak than the 100% of 1996, rewarding us with fragrant sandalwood/spiciness as well as lime, pear, and subtle shades of pineapple on the nose, the trademark CMR lime/mineral on the palate, with a long finish of viscous ripe fruit, lychee and firm acid that causes a late salivary sensation. A hint of animale runs throughout the wine, from start to finish. Though drinkable after 3 to 4 months' rest post shippping, we feel this wine has the staying power to be cellared for several years. Enjoy!
Facts
- Blend of 3 clones (Hyde "Old Wente", Dijon 76 and Dimmick) of Chardonnay
- Combination native yeast/malolactic fermentations & cultured Montrachet yeast, ML isolates
- 78% new oak: Half François Freres with wood from Allier forest, medium + toast level; ¼ Seguin-Moreau Chassagne Montrachet M+ barrels, some with toasted heads. Other coopers include Latour, Damy, Marsannay, D&J and Cadus.
- Total time in barrel: 11 months.
- Harvest: Mid to late September
- Yield: 2.7 tons/acre (ranch average)
Clone locations/component descriptions of this 100% home-ranch fruit
- Hyde ("Old Wente" hens 'n chicks): generally NE-facing slopes on shallow soils, with one block on a very steep, rocky Northern slope. These wines give great intensity & backbone to the palate and a mineral/crushed stone & lime quality to the nose. The over-all presentation is tight and firm with good acidity.
- Dijon 76: planted to our most fertile soil on the most flat part of the vineyard, this clone gives more pear and ripe honeydew tones with a touch of earthiness
- Dimmick: also yields lime tones as well as green apple, with a fleshy, soft/viscous mouthfeel that counterpoints the Hyde clone well.
Final bottling technical information
- pH: 3.66
- TA: 6.4 g/L
- 14.3% alcohol
- Residual sugar: 0.08% (searingly bone-dry)
Bottled unfined in late December 1998; 1300 cases produced.