Crisp, complex, and beautifully dynamic this wine is golden in color with concentrated aromas of honey, Asian pear, perfume, and baking spice. On the entry it is bright and fruit forward, with a rounded texture, delicate oak notes and flavors of golden apple and honeysuckle that dance across the palate.
In order to maximize quality, the harvested grapes went directly to press as whole clusters and were gently pressed. This provides a distinct mouthfeel texture. After settling, the juice was racked to French oak barrels for fermentation and aging, with 62% new French oak, and 38% one-year old barrels. The wine was aged for 13 months before being bottled on December 8, 2021.
The growing 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 overall 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, or Chardonnay crop was balanced and healthy, yielding wines with vibrant flavors and excellent depth and energy. Our Sangiacomo grapes were harvested on September 22, 2020 for Home Ranch, and September 23, 2020 for Kiser Block 3.
The grapes for this Chardonnay came from two different blocks of the famed Sangiacomo Vineyard, with the majority of the fruit coming from the Catarina Block and the remaining from the Sangiacomo’s equally renowned Kiser B Block. For three generations, the Sangiacomo family has been growing grapes in and around the town of Sonoma. Recognized as master winegrowers, their fruit is highly prized for its consistent quality and delicious flavor profiles. We have been proud to work with the Sangiacomo Vineyard since our debut 1987 vintage.