The 2016 Vintage was another drought year, with early bud-break, bloom and veraison. Things cooled off after Labor Day, extending the harvest into October for the first time since 2012. Vine stress became an issue late in the year with many of our dry farmed vines showing water and nutrient stress for the first time. Yields were decent, but still off by 30% of targets; poor weather during the early bloom caused shatter and millerandage once again. Some late heat in August forced some picks in our earliest blocks of Pinot Noir, but most of the harvest was paced out well and we harvested the majority of our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at an orderly pace under fair skies and mild weather. The resulting wines are bright and energetic with midweight personalities. These are profoundly aromatic and balanced wines that are site expressive and pure.

"The 2016 Chardonnay Portola Springs Vineyard offers lovely aromatic presence to play off its overt fruit. Lemon confit, mint and orange peel are all pushed forward in this delicate, super-appealing Chardonnay from Fogarty. Volcanic soils and a cool micro-climate are two of the signatures at Portola Springs." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous 92 points