1998 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Tasting Notes
A tapestry of Meyer Lemon, poached pear, honeysuckle, grilled almond and mineral/crushed stone is woven into this wine's aroma from Camp Meeting Ridge and other cool-climate vineyards. The palate yields bright acid with crisp lemon tart, wet stone, creme custard and grapefruit sorbet textures leading to a long, finely tapering finish. This Chardonnay is ready to consume upon release but will also develop over the next 3 years or more.
Facts
- Blend of 5 different vineyards from some of the most cool vineyard sites in Sonoma County. The characteristic threads that tie our vineyards together are the crisp acidity and high level of extract that small berries and clusters can provide giving this and all our Flowers Chardonnay's full palate weight.
- Primarily native yeast & malolactic fermentations, some selected lots conducted with selected Burgundy isolates.
- 10% new oak, 80% once-used; primarily François Freres with wood from Allier forest, med.+ toast with a few toasted heads in the mix. Other coopers are all traditional Burgundy (Latour, D&J, Seguin-Moreau Chassagne Montrachet, Damy, Cadus, Marsannay) Total time in barrel: 8 months
- Harvest: early October to early November
- Bottled unfined and unfiltered in September 1999; 1065 cases produced
Final bottling technical information
- pH: 3.49
- TA: 6.3 g/L
- 14.1% alcohol
- Residual sugar: 0.14% (dry)