2022 Mirabelle Vineyard

93 Points: Tom Capo Wine Enthusiast Advance Buying Guide - June/July 2024

“Sunshine in a glass. The nose of this immaculately balanced Char­donnay incorporates aromas of crème brûlée, hon­eysuckle and pineapple. The palate is equally bright, with a tropical personality showing zesty citrus and ripe pear flavors. A textural finish brings loads of spice and zippy acid.”

The 2022 vintage was impacted by a third consecutive year of drought that resulted in up to a 10-30% reduction in yields. The growing season was temperate, which in grape growing means we were on track or ahead of normal growth. Then we saw some heat spikes that prompted our first picks. 2022 was a year for vintage-to-vintage variation and differentiation between vineyards. The vineyard is cordon pruned and planted to Clone 95 Chardonnay. This clone produces small clusters and small berries, which contribute to this wine’s pure, concentrated flavors and aromas. To ensure that the fruit was delivered to the winery cool and in pristine condition, the grapes were harvested by hand on the night of September 6th, 2022.

Mirabelle is a beautiful vineyard located along Wohler Road in the heart of the Russian River Valley. It is planted on the valley floor where dense fog frequently settles, keeping the ripening progress slow and steady. The site’s fertile soils lead to healthy vines that produce classic Russian River Valley Chardonnay aromas and flavors.

• composition:

  100% Chardonnay

• alcohol: 14.2%
• cases made:

  304 cases

• bottling date: 08/16/2023
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 31% new, 15% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Whole cluster pressed then cold settled for 48 hours, then racked into French oak for primary and malolactic fermentation