Crisp mineral-driven Santa Lucia Highlands fruit is unencumbered by oaking,
malolactic fermentation and sur-lies aging; the bright acidity and tropical fruit notes are food-friendly; pecially designed cement aging tanks hearken to old world style and taste.
Unoaked; no
malolactic fermentation; a really nice chardonnay; if you want to know what the grape really tastes like, try this; crisp, dry pretty finish.
Over the winter months, the winemaker may then decide whether or not to induce a
malolactic fermentation.
The wines are crushed and fermented in small lots, the company says, and are made using the techniques of cluster pressing, extended maceration, barrel fermentation,
malolactic fermentation in barrels, and lees stirring, depending on the varietal.
The wine was partially fermented in French oak barrels, and a portion underwent
malolactic fermentation for additional complexity and richness.
This wine is crafted in a refreshing style, with limited oak treatment and minimal
malolactic fermentation, and retails for $17.
The color is bright yellow with subtle green hints; the nose is dominated by melon, stone fruit, and a touch of oak; plenty of weight on the palate demonstrates the use of barrel fermentation, and time on the lees; the blend of wine, which a portion went through
malolactic fermentation, has weight, solid and rich fruit, with a touch of spice.
Quintessential California chardonnay with creamy
malolactic notes threading through a well-balanced, well-proportioned palate of ripe pear and spicy apple; finishes crisp and long.
The main difference is that no
malolactic fermentation is permitted to preserve the fruity aroma, yet part of the wine-making process takesplace in wooden vats for a richer, more oxidated style.
There is no oak aging, and no
malolactic fermentation so, whether sweet or dry, nothing interferes with the pure expression of varietal character and soil.
The contemporary, metal-frame open barn winery emphasizes flexibility and efficiency in winemaking, featuring cluster sorting tables, added capacity for whole-cluster pressing of Chardonnay, and three separate temperature and humidity controlled barrel rooms for complete control of primary fermentation,
malolactic fermentation and aging.
MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION Conversion of the assertive malic acid in a wine to the softer lactic acid.
