The season began with a warm winter with no frost issues and a mild spring that resulted in a nice, even fruit set. While the summer was quite warm, there were only a couple of short heat spikes, which ensured that the grapes were able to fully ripen while retaining the natural acidity we love. As a result, our Chardonnay crop was balanced and healthy, yielding wines with vibrant flavors and excellent depth and energy. We harvested our Day Ranch fruit on September 11th, 2020.

To make this wine, our love of exploration took us to another acclaimed coastal Northern California wine region, Mendocino County’s renowned Anderson Valley. Located just 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean, in the cool “Deep End” of the Anderson Valley, Day Ranch is planted on an alluvial terrace that abuts a mountainside. This cool rustic site allows us to produce a Chardonnay with depth and ripeness without sacrificing racy acidity.

• composition:

  100% Chardonnay

• alcohol: 14.5%
• cases made:

  359 cases

• bottling date: 11/17/2021
• aging:

  Aged 13 months sur-lie in French oak; 25% new and 20% one-year-old.

• fermentation:

  Whole cluster pressed then racked to French oak for primary and malolactic fermentation.