
PHILOSOPHY
Serein (n.) 1.) river flowing through the Chablis appellation of France; 2.) fine mist or evening dew. An exploration of the potential of cool climate Chardonnay in California, La Sereinité derives its inspiration from the great Chablis of France, with their bright flavors and unmistakable minerality. Sourced from some of the coolest, latest ripening sites in the Russian River Valley, Green Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations, where heavy fog incursions challenge Chardonnay to ripen, La Sereinité is characterized by vibrant California fruit and a crisp mineral flavor profile created from grapes fermented and aged without the use of new oak.
2006 GROWING SEASON
The 2006 growing season was particularly challenging in the Russian River Valley. Higher humidity during the summer months resulted in greater mildew pressure across the appellation, exacerbated by weather during harvest that provided perfect growing conditions for botrytis, or "noble rot.” Numerous extra “passes” in our vineyards ensured the area around grape clusters had good air flow and that crop loads were balanced. At the winery, all incoming fruit was rigorously hand-sorted. The bottom line for Lynmar is that we came through a challenging harvest with excellent quality potential. Primary characteristics of the wines from 2006, in general, will be lower than average alcohols and bright natural acidity. This is a vintage that will play very well to Lynmar’s balanced, elegant, acid-driven house style.
VINEYARDS & WINEMAKING
In 2006 Sweeney Vineyard is once again the core component (93%), with its clean citrus aromas, subtle minerality and wonderfully firm acidity. It is just inside the new Russian River Valley expansion boundaries, formerly classified as Sonoma Coast. Located in a lower lying cool pocket with uniform Goldridge soils, Sweeney’s UCD4 clone plantings are approaching 20 years of age. The minor components include our Quail Hill Vineyard estate (5%, Rued) for aromatic range and complexity and Amber Ridge Vineyard (2%, Dijon Clone 96) for additional minerality and overall balance. All fruit was hand-harvested early in the morning and transported to the winery while still cool, hand-sorted, then gently whole-cluster pressed. The resultant juice was only lightly settled and then transferred to 1-3 year old French oak barrels for native yeast fermentation. No new oak was used at any stage of production. After 14 months in barrel on original lees, the final selected lots were racked into a small stainless steel tank for a few weeks of further settling before bottling.
TASTING NOTES
Our second vintage of La Sereinité remains an exciting and truly distinctive wine. The color is again classically light golden, though with a bit more yellow this year due to the very lightest touch of Botrytis. The result is a nose with not only a dominant core of citrus aromas, but also noticeable hints of apricot, peach. These vintage characteristics are highlighted by toasty, grilled bread notes and uncommon minerality for a California Chardonnay. The palate upon release shows bracing acidity and firm structure, but with a solid, round mid-palate leading into a pleasantly long finish. We anticipate this wine to begin showing at its best from May 2008 onwards, with optimal maturity between 2009 and 2011.
WINE INFORMATION
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Winemaker: Hugh Chappelle
Aging: 15 mo. in 60 gal. French oak barrels (0% new) Consulting Winemaker: Paul Hobbs
Alcohol: 14.2%
Consulting Viticulturist: Greg Adams
Malolactic Fermentaion: 100%
Cases Produced 831 (6x750ml)
pH: 3.46
Bottling Date: December 2007
T.A.: .55g/100ml
Suggested Retail Price $70
Other products in the category Wines:
2007 Jenkins Vineyard Pinot Noir -- Aromas truly leap from the glass and immediately captivate, with primary notes of cherry and raspberry, accented with both red and dark fruit elements. There is also is a deft touch of toasty oak which adds spice and complexity, but in no way competes wit
2006 Quail Hill Vineyard Chardonnay -- Appearance is bright yellow-green gold and leads into a complex nose of toast, peaches & cream, bread, acacia, and hazelnuts. The aromas are fresh and compelling with noticeable intensity and focus. The palate is full bodied and rich yet elegant
2006 Quail Hill Vineyard, Bliss Block Pinot Noir -- Our “Bliss Block” Pinot Noir is from a unique part of the estate and in one of the coolest pockets of the property. From the very beginning this vineyard block gave us wines of a highly distinctive and individualistic quality
2006 Quail Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir -- What we have in this wine is taut highly aromatic expression of our estate vineyard where elegance, balance, and structure are all seamlessly interwoven. The texture here is still youthfully firm but with a vibrant energy
Quail Hill Chardonnay Vertical -- 2004 - 2006 Quail Hill Vineyard Chardonnay
2004 Quail Hill Vineyard Chardonnay -- The flavors are complex and subtle, revealing bright key lime, verbena and Gravenstein apple notes, balanced by ginger, clove and a briny minerality.
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