2018 was another dry, but not particularly warm winter. This changed in early February. A system of high pressure brought daytime temperatures into the 70’s, warming the dry soil and initiating bud break in the earlier sections of some of our vineyard sites. In March an artic cold front settled in and brought nighttime temperatures down to freezing, risking frost damage to the new shoot growth. These ‘false’ springs, with record high temperatures have become much more common in recent years.
The Summer was mostly mild, leading to a normal to later harvest than other recent vintages. The wines are poised and complex with depth and structure. Yields were low due to the early spring, concentrating the wines and leading us to believe they have a long life ahead.

"The 2018 Chardonnay Albutom Vineyard is a very pretty, lifted wine, as it always is. Tangerine peel, spice, dried flowers and chamomile give the 2018 a feeling of effortless complexity that is impossible to miss. This silky, inviting Chardonnay has a ton to offer." -Antonio Galloni, Vinous 92 points