2021 Wildcat Mountain

Chardonnay
Sonoma Coast

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About this Wine

The grapes for this Chardonnay came exclusively from Wildcat Mountain Vineyard, owned by Steve MacRostie and his partners, Nancy and Tony Lilly. The 2021 Wildcat Mountain Chardonnay has an opulent golden straw color in the glass. There is a signature aroma of honey and the faintest of butterscotch that is the calling card of Wildcat Chardonnay.

92-Point Stunner

92 Points

“As inviting and buttery as a croissant, this soft and creamy wine is loaded with vanilla, fresh butter and baked apple flavors on a broad, melted texture, with just a hint of acidity for balance. Pour during cocktail hour for your Chardonnay-loving friends.”

Jim Gordon

Wine Enthusiast, November 2023

Tasting Notes

Accolades

Winemaking

Vintage

Vineyard

Tech. Notes

additional notes

Tasting Notes

The 2021 Wildcat Mountain Chardonnay offers an opulent golden straw color, with aromas of honeysuckle and candied lemon wafting from the glass. There are also signature aromas of honey and a hint of butterscotch, which are calling cards of our Wildcat Chardonnay. As you sip the wine, it is crisp and vibrant, with natural acidity melding seamlessly with the rich, textured palate. This juxtaposition of bright acid and lush viscosity continues throughout the long finish, which is lively, fruit-forward, and satiny.

Accolades

92 Points: Jim Gordon Wine Enthusiast - November 2023

92 Points: James Suckling JamesSuckling.com - November 2023

“Plenty of lush citrus aromas followed by golden apples, bitter nuts, and beeswax with saffron and saline undertones. Medium body with bright acidity. Zesty wine layered with savory spices and minerality. Drink or hold.”

90 Points: Audrey Frick JebDunnuck.com - July 2023

“A savory profile emerges in the 2021 Chardonnay Wildcat Mountain, revealing fresh aromas of sea spray, yellow flowers, and golden apple. This medium to full-bodied white offers a silky mouthfeel, with good freshness of acidity and notes of fresh pear, honeyed lemon, and almond. It’s a very attractive wine to drink over the next several years. Though The Key may be the most complete wine in the lineup, I prefer this style for more regular drinking.”

Winemaking

The grapes went directly to press as whole clusters. The resulting juice was cold settled, racked off of its press lees, and moved directly to barrel for a cool fermentation. It was then aged in these same French oak barrels for 12 months, with 24% of the oak being new and 24% once used. The fermentation lees were stirred several times throughout the aging process. The wine went through a partial malolactic fermentation to preserve its natural acidity. The very best barrels were then selected for our Wildcat Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay. The wine was bottled on August 2, 2022.

Vintage

The 2021 vintage delivered a moderate and consistent growing season for most of Sonoma County, leading to a smooth, easily manageable harvest. While the continuation of drought conditions led to slightly reduced yields, the overall quality and concentration of the grapes was exceptional. Grapes were picked from two distinct blocks planted to two different clones: 76 and 95, on September 9 and 10, respectively in 2021.

Vineyard

The grapes for this Chardonnay came exclusively from Wildcat Mountain Vineyard, owned by Steve MacRostie and his partners, Nancy and Tony Lilly. At Wildcat, the vines dig into the sparse volcanic soil and stand firm against the strong winds that race in off of the Pacific Ocean most afternoons. This fog-shrouded mountaintop vineyard is a classic Sonoma Coast site. Cool and challenging, it yields wines of great distinction.

Technical Notes

composition:
100% Chardonnay
alcohol: 13.9%
cases made:
799
bottling date: 08/02/2022
aging:
Aged 12 months in French oak, 24% new, 24% once used
fermentation:
Whole cluster pressed, cold settled, then racked to barrel for cool fermentation.

additional notes