Tasting Notes

The long, cool 2018 season has given us a complex and absolutely lovely well-balanced wine. The nose is met with warm ambrette, nutmeg, crème brûlée and spicy florals lifted by the freshness of lemon and stone fruit. A flavorful and graceful evolution in the mouth opens to a roundness and weight from aging sur-lie is supported and carried through by juicy, ripe pear coming to an unhurried and pleasing decrescendo.

Vintage & Winemaker Notes

2018 was a dreamy vintage. Steady rains through the winter gave the soil time to absorb the nourishing moisture. Spring temperatures were right on target and reliable during bud break and bloom, paving the way for a larger than average yield. Our warm summer temperatures peaked in July, with only one day exceeding 100F. Our ripening months, August and September, cooled off a bit, creating a gentle, even ripening track, free of heat storms. October continued the trend of cooling, but temps stayed above the ’70s during the day, allowing for a near-perfect end of season temperature profile.

Vineyard & Production Notes

Red Mare's Chardonnay, chosen by design, comes from Dutton Ranch's Mills Station Vineyard, one of Dutton Ranch’s cooler sites. The soil is a thick deposit of the coveted Goldridge series, known for producing deliciously complex Chardonnay. It is the combination of the "Old Block" planted to an unknown clone in the '70s along with a touch of the modern - Dijon Clone 76. This results in a beautiful juxtaposition of bright, forward fruit and textured, mineral notes. We whole-cluster press, and gently cold settled, after which the juice goes directly to barrel. It ferments in 100% Burgundian oak barrels, with about 22% new. Malolactic stops between 30 - 60%.