2021 Estate Chardonnay

100% Estate Chardonnay

• Varieties:
  100% Viognier
• Appellation:
  Templeton Gap District - Paso Robles
• Average brix at harvest:
  23.5
• Vineyard:
  Estate
• Alcohol:
  13.5%
• Acidity:
  0.58 g/100ml
• pH:
  3.41
• Residual sugar:
  0.01 g/100ml
• Date bottled:
  September 02, 2022
• Cases produced:
  97
• Retail Price:
  $ 28.00

Growing conditions:
GROWING CONDITIONS: ANOTHER DROUGHT YEAR WITH 90% OF OUR TOTAL RAINFALL OCCURRING DURING THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY. AN UNUSUAL FROST IN LATE MAY RESULTED IN A SMALLER FRUIT SET. THE LIGHTER CROP COUPLED WITH A LONG WARM SUMMER LED TO EARLIEST FINISH TO HARVEST AT VICTOR HUGO EVER, WITH A SMALLER HARVEST WITH EXCELLENT QUALITY.

Winemaking:
The grapes were hand harvested, then whole cluster pressed while still cool. Barrel fermented in 25% new and 75% seasoned French oak barrels. The wine was aged on its lees passively for 8 months.
This process produced a richer mouthfeel and allowed the wine to be bottled with minimal filtration.

Tasting notes:
Aromas of apple and ripe pear are intertwined with elusive hints of nectarine in the background. Rich, silky mouth feel from fermentation plus 8 months of passive lees contact in Hungarian oak barrels culminates with a long, rich finish.

Cellaring:
This Chardonnay will continue to improve with proper cellaring for another 18-36 months, but why wait??

Food selection:
This Chardonnay will enhance soft ripe cheeses, pastas and halibut as well as richer ocean selections such as scallops, oysters, and lobster.