Product Description
This elegant white wine exhibits aromas of lemon, kiwi, orange blossom, and sweet basil. Jasmine, lime, ginger and minerality are balanced on the palate by notes of orange zest and fresh sea salt. Focused on citrus notes and a saline quality that promotes an age worthy structure, the uniqueness of the Sta. Rita Hills wine region bordered on two of its four sides by the Pacific Ocean is clear. We only employ neutral barrels for this whole cluster pressed chardonnay. We don’t promote or prohibit malolactic fermentation, allowing wine to be in balance, bright and elegant. This blend is comprised of 3D, Machado, Acin and Hapgood vineyards. The primary emphasis of the predominantly sandy 10 acre 3D vineyard is chardonnay, with five clones planted in equal amounts. The 15 acre parcel on the Machado family land is located adjacent to Clos Pepe and immediately behind the Kessler-Haak vineyard. The site is marked by a gorgeous rolling terrain with sandy clay loam soils. The Acin parcel is just over an acre of chardonnay planted in a section predominantly marked by sand. The budwood is a Wente selection originally taken from the original Nielsen Vineyard planted in Santa Maria in 1964. In slightly richer soil, the Hapgood vineyard is planted to the Mount Eden selection of chardonnay. The elevated clay loam content results in larger volume and a more dense palate expression.