Tasting Notes: The 2022 Napa Valley Chardonnay is fragrant and bright with aromatic notes of fresh green apple,lemongrass, lychee, lime peel, coriander spice and jasmine white flowers. On the palate the texture islively and viscous with mouth enveloping flavors of lemon citron, white peach, Asian pear, lanolin, andwhite pepper spice.The luscious mouthfeel is a signature of this elegant Chardonnay, providing the roundand creamy texture which is a nod to the delicate bâtonnage (lees stirring) that occurs during thewinemaking process. The wine finishes long and graceful with undertones of minerality and a presentbackbone of acidity, providing mouthwatering richness, making it an ideal accompaniment to a variety ofcuisines, and the perfect al fresco refreshing white.

Winemaker Notes: The grapes for our Napa Valley Chardonnay were sourced from the cooler southern appellations withinNapa Valley, where fog from the San Pablo Bay helps to cool the vineyards throughout the growingseason, allowing for ideal preservation of freshness and acidity. The majority of the fruit comes from theCarneros AVA which provides citrus, mineral, and crisp apple notes, with a smaller percentage comingfrom the Oak Knoll AVA, which contributes more tropical and stone fruit characteristics. Thesevineyards consistently produce Chardonnay ideal for our style of winemaking with fresh fruit flavors andbright acidity and vibrancy.

The first half of the 2022 harvest started calm and early, with healthy vineyards offering fruit with brightacidity, fruit-forward flavors, and strong yields for white varietals and thin-skinned reds, like Pinot Noir.Then, California experienced a historic heat wave in early September that ramped up the pace ofripening, compelling a fast and furious harvest as winemakers worked to pick fruit at its best quality.Fortunately, strong vines and proactive irrigation helped many vineyards survive the heat. The secondhalf was much more predictable with cooler temperatures through October, so that later-ripening redvarieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, could develop their full flavor and tannin profile.

Our Napa Valley Chardonnay is gently pressed, in order to preserve the fresh aromatics naturallyoccurring in the fruit. Twenty-five percent of the wine is fermented in stainless steel and remains in tankuntil the final blend is assembled, Twenty-five percent of the wine is fermented and aged in new Frenchoak barrels, and the remaining fifty percent in seasoned French oak.This specific barrel treatment helpspreserve the essential purity of the fruit while adding subtle notes of oak complexity. This Chardonnay does not undergo malolactic fermentation, which helps to further maintain the fruit’s natural acidity, terroir expression and aromatic freshness.The wine was bottled after just seven months of maturationwith a bi-weekly bâtonnage, a traditional french winemaking technique putting the yeast lees insuspension to increase the mouthfeel, and preserve the freshness of the aromas and flavors.

Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay