With a medium golden color, this Chardonnay echoes the beauty of the vintage. In both the aromas and on the palate, fresh citrus and green tropical fruits dominate, with layers of lemon, lime, green melon, and kiwi mingling with nuanced hints of French oak to provide a rich mouthfeel and a round, radiant finish.
To preserve the bright, delicate character of the fruit, all of the grapes went directly to press as whole clusters and were then gently pressed. After settling, 78% of the juice was racked into French oak barrels for fermentation, 23% of which were new, with 11% once-used barrels. To provide freshness and focus to the blend, 5% of the wine stayed in stainless steel tanks for a cool fermentation and never went to barrel. The lots were aged on the lees for six months, with occasional lees stirring to increase richness and body. To achieve balance, a rich mouthfeel, and crisp acidity, only a partial secondary fermentation was completed. The blend was assembled in May of 2024, just prior to bottling, which occurred on June 11, 2024.
The 2023 vintage produced amazing wines. It was one of the coolest and latest harvests in over a decade. Ripening took its time, and acids were high, which creates wines of distinct flavor and varietal specificity. The MacRostie 2023 Chardonnay harvest went from September 19th through October 25th, 2023 at Brix ranging from 21.6 to 24.7.
The grapes for this Chardonnay came from several exceptional Sonoma Coast vineyards, including the Sangiacomo and Ricci vineyards in Carneros, sites farmed by the renowned Dutton family in the Russian River Valley, as well as some lesser-known gems including Milovina, Wood Road and Marcucci. All sites were selected for their cool climates and unique growing conditions, and for their ability to lend distinct and complex characteristics to our Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.