1997 Chardonnay - Porter-Bass Vineyard
Tasting Notes
The cool-climate breeding of the grapes grown by our friends Sue Porter and Dirck Bass is evident to the eye and palate when regarding the wine. Color is pale yellow with a hint of green tinge. Aromas reflect traditional Burgundian techniques interplaying with the site as a touch of animale adds complexity to the mineral and hint of citrus blossom. The structure of the wine is firm, with a good acid backbone supporting the rich sur lies textural and tactile qualities. We feel the wine is ready to drink upon release but will reward the patient oenophile with careful cellar aging well into the next decade.
- Clones: Primarily Old Wente; some Rued selection. Clones picked & aged in 3 separate lots.
- Yeast/ML: 100% native malolactic, sur lies in barrel primarily for 9 months with periodic battonage
- Cooperage: 50% new oak: Seguin Moreau Le Montrachet; D&J, François Freres Allier medium+ toast
- Harvest: Mid-September, picked at an average of 23° Brix over a 6-day period with relatively high acid (9 g/L ave.) and low pH (3.12 ave.) which is indicative of the cool maritime climate
- Yield: 2.2 tons/acre
- Yeast: Native yeast or cultured Burgundian isolate, depending on the lot
- Vineyard location: Mays Canyon sadule, 16 miles from the Pacific Ocean & halfway between Forestville and Guerneville off the Russian River file.
- Vineyard terroir: Steep, shaley, clay-loam soils of ancient marine sediment. Exposure is E-W ridge environs which are bathed in sunlight all day while the Pacific Coast and Russian River Valley fogs lie below. Mays Canyon sadule is the meeting place and dividing line between these two fog influences. Result is an extremely long, very cool but sunlight-filled growing season.
- Plantings: 10 acres (Chardonnay) planted 1984-6 to AxR rootstock with x-arm trellising. Steep hillsides dictate a moderate vine spacing of 6 x 10.
Final bottling technical information
- pH: 3.25
- TA: 6.0 g/L
- 13.8% alcohol
- Residual sugar: 0.16% (bone-dry)
Bottled unfiltered in July 1998; 180 cases produced.