Winemaker Notes:
With this chardonnay it is all about balance and
finesse. The apple, pear, strawberry and
stone fruits are well matched with the soft honeysuckle and fresh
hay/straw. The citrus notes are very
soft and nestle along side the chalky minerality of the wine very elegantly. There is also a gentle nuttiness to the wine
that rounds out the overall complexity.
The finish is long, bright and creamy with some juicy nectarine and
tropical nuances. My favorite Virginia Stainless
Chardonnay to date.
Vintage:
Starting with a mild winter we rolled into an early spring. In late March we started seeing temps in the
70’s with just a few cooler days to follow.
The spring conditions led to excellent fruit set and ultimately a
bountiful crop. The summer, for
Virginia, was very mild with only a few days of hot humid conditions. The Autumn was particularly dry with warm
days and cool nights. From mid-September to early October we experienced very
little rain which is invaluable for maturing grapes. I believe the 2019 vintage to be the best I
have experienced in Virginia for my tenure here.
Blend
100% Chardonnay
Harvest
Mont Domaine Chardonnay was harvested on 30th August at 20.2
brix, 3.68 pH and 6.25g/L TA. The Crozet Chardonnay was harvested on 25th
August at 20.9 brix, 3.52 pH and 5.77g/L TA.
Mountain Terrace was harvested on 7th September at 22.9 Brix,
3.92 pH and 4.55g/L TA
Vineyard Source:
Mont Domaine Vineyard, Charlottesville, VA – 48%
Mt Juliet Farms, Crozet, VA – 45%
Mountain Terrace Vineyards, Amherst, VA – 7%
Fermentation
Mont Domaine fermented for 18 days in stainless steel with
Cross Evolution Yeast. Mt. Juliet Chardonnay was fermented in stainless steel
with Ferm 3C yeast for 14 days. Mountain
Terrace fermented for 16 days in stainless steel with Rhone 4600 Yeast. All three vineyards were fermented in cooler
temperatures and did not receive any ML inoculation.
.
Aging
The wine was aged in stainless steel tank.
Bottling Date
25 February 2020 – 1,387 cases
Release Date
April 2020
Technical Information
13.3% Alc
3.54 pH
0.652g/L TA
0.06 RS (dry)
