About This Wine
Vintage
2006 featured one of the longest growing seasons in recent memory. Fantastic weather during bloom left us with a real crop on the vines, something quite different than 2005. The longer cool growing season was ideal for producing lovely aromatics and silky textures, real hallmarks for us in 2006. The vintage yielded wines that are remarkably pure and translucent, highlighting regional and vintage characteristics.
Vineyards
Our oldest vineyard, planted in 1978, produces our richest and most fruit driven Chardonnay. Its exposure is southwest facing, meaning more sun during the growing season. Shallow top soils of fractured shale limit vigor and lead to wines with great concentration and intensity. This vineyard is one of the first we pick, it’s meso-climate being warmer than it’s neighbors, consequently the flavors we get from the fruit here are “sweeter” than our other neighboring vineyards; ie think more apple than lemon.
Winemaking
We harvest our Chardonnay early in the
morning to ensure cold fruit, which preserves
aromatics and delicacy in the resulting
juice. The grapes are added to the
press for gentle whole-cluster pressing followed
by a cool barrel fermentation. Weekly
batonage during the 18 months in French
oak barrels (100% new) added flesh and
texture to the brilliant spine of acidity and
bright mountain fruit. We bottled the wine
unfiltered to preserve the magnificent texture
and delicate aromatics.
Tasting Notes
This is always our most full bodied Single
Vineyard Chardonnay, featuring fabulous
intensity of fruit and richness. Flavors of
Meyer lemon, apple and cream are buttressed
by great weight and acidity. Hints
of spice from new French oak are well integrated
and are in harmony with the bright
fruit and mineral flavors. Drink now or hold
for 3-7 years.
Technical Data
Appellation
Santa Cruz Mountains
WINEMAKER
Michael Martella and Nathan Kandler
VINEYARDS
100% Damiana Estate Vineyard
COMPOSITION: 100% Chardonnay
Distance to the ocean: 10 Miles
Elevation/Exposure: 1890 Feet/ Southwestern, very steep
Climate: Cool, Mountain, Maritime
Soils: Santa Lucia loam over bedrock, Fractured Shale
Finished alcohol: 14.5%
Acid/pH: .65/3.47
Oak Treatment: 100% French, 18 Months, 100% New Oak
Total production: 99 cases
Release date: March 28, 2009
California suggested retail: $48.00
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