2017 Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay 

Appellation: Russian River Valley

Sensory Notes: Ritchie Vineyard is rightfully considered one of California’s Grand Cru-caliber vineyards, and this wine shows why. The nose offers beautifully rich and ripe aromas of nectarine, peach, lemon curd, apple pie and white tea, along with subtle French oak. The citrus and stone fruit notes continue on the broad palate, where they mingle with mouth-watering acidity and hints of white pepper and baking spices that resonate on the bright juicy finish.

Winemaker Notes:  The 2017 Ritchie Vineyard grapes were picked before sunrise to ensure that they arrived at the winery cool, and in pristine condition. They were hand-sorted and cold-settled for 24 hours before being racked off the heavy lees into 100% French oak barrels, 40% of which were new. Bâtonnage was applied once per day during primary fermentation. The wine was aged for an additional 11 months in barrel before being blended for bottling.