Staglin Family Vineyard Estate Rutherford Chardonnay 2019 750mL

Grape Varietal:

100% Chardonnay

Winemaker's Tasting Notes:

2019 was rather mild and even compared to some of the extremes of the previous few vintages but experienced its own significant dynamic range that will define the wines that come from it. From a winter and early spring that were appropriately cold and wet to an abundantly warm and sunny April followed by the near historically rainy May, the season certainly felt a bit like a rollercoaster, but it proved to be one that knew how and when to let up and slow down when it needed to resulting in a nice crop reaching peak maturity at the right time. Starting a little over a week earlier than last year, the grapes were picked in the cool early mornings to maintain their freshness, natural acidity and delicate flavors. The grapes are hand sorted, whole cluster pressed and then barrel-fermented. We allowed some of the barrels for this cuvee to go through malolactic fermentation to bring some additional texture and balance to the wine. Finally, we aged this wine on its lees for ten months entirely in large format barrels with minimal ‘batonnage’ in the first few months to optimize the aromatic freshness of the wine. The autumnal 2019 Staglin Chardonnay displays a layered subtlety centered around a baking spice infused core of Braeburn apple and Bosc pear poached in a slightly savory brine that lends to a saline and mineral inflected midpalate enlivened by composed acidity and beguiling hints of cardamom and turmeric root. A bit reticent and shy at first, this wine really opens and fully blossoms with some time and big swirls in the glass to become livelier and more lifted, invitingly dancing on the palate 
and through the long and balanced finish.