Chardonnay and California go hand in hand as one of the most recognizable combinations in wine. This signature grape of California bursts with flavor and is beloved all around the world. If you know a Chardonnay lover in your life, this curated gift set would be perfect - we've combed through some of the finest wineries in California and selected these Chardonnays for the holidays.
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TASTING NOTES: The 707 Chardonnay is a honeyed, golden-yellow color. The aromas are reminiscent of green apples, vanilla bean, and apricots. The layered .lavors are smooth and silky, with intricate textures to include tropical fruits and a large dash of citrus freshness. The wine is has a sparkling acidity that makes the .lavors light and lively, yet also rich with vanilla-laced oak tones with a hint of caramel. The finish is bright, delectable, and decidedly food-friendly.
FOOD PAIRINGS: Our food pairing suggestions would include: Lobster risotto, watercress and crab salad, broccoli chicken fettuccini, or a pumpkin ravioli bisque.
REGION: Yarra Valley, Victoria VARIETALS: Chardonnay MATURATION: 8 months in French oak (10% new) ANALYSIS: 13.0% alc/vol I TA: 7.50 I pH: 3.25
VINTAGE: 2019 saw fluctuating temperatures and rain events through spring driving a very mixed flowering in the different sub-regions. There was beautiful, moderate weather in early summer which produced rich dark green canopies, so that despite a few heat spikes in January, there were plenty of pristine bunches at harvest. Acidities were surprisingly fresh, perhaps driven by cool nights and the Chardonnay parcels have a depth and intensity not seen since 2015.
WINEMAKING: The fruit was 100% hand-picked from Giant Steps’ Sexton, Applejack, Gruyere Farm, Wombat Creek and Tarraford vineyards. The grapes were whole bunch pressed then indigenous fermentation took place in 500L French oak puncheons at 60 - 74°F. The total time in oak was seven months and there was no lees stirring. No malolactic fermentation. The wine was not filtered prior to being bottled by gravity.
TASTING NOTES: Aromas of citrus, fresh melon and crushed hazelnuts with mineral undertones. The palate is long, elegant and broad with a beautiful creaminess from the extended aging on its lees. A backbone of crisp and punchy acidity carries flavors of stone fruits, citrus and shortbread through a persistent finish.
ABOUT GREAT STEPS: Established in 1998, Giant Steps is owned by Phil Sexton and takes its name from John Coltrane’s eponymous first solo jazz album. Giant Steps’ fruit is biodynamically farmed and vinified with minimal intervention in its gravity flow winery. The Yarra Valley range is highly expressive, true to the climate, soil and topography of this region. The Single Vineyard range is crafted from the most site-expressive fruit off the best vineyards in great years. Giant Steps has forged a reputation for delivering some of Australia’s most consistent, over-performing, varietal wines reflected by its ongoing, enviable global acclaim including Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries of the Year, 2013-2018.
WINEMAKERS NOTES: The 2018 parched. Chardonnay is a single vineyard wine originating from the Gold Coast Vineyard in the Sonoma Coast AVA. With San Pablo Bay in view from the vineyard, the fruit for this wine is protected with a blanket of fog throughout the summer mornings, retaining the freshness in this wine. Having gone through full malolactic fermentation in barrel, the bright apple aromatics still jump out of the glass. Retaining some mid-palate bodyweight from barrel fermentation, it is surprising how clean this wine is on the palate. Great with food and will hold up to medium term cellaring.
HARVEST NOTES: The 2018 growing season began with a relatively dry spring and just a bit below normal rainfall over the winter. Budbreak was close to normal, leading to flowering in late May. The summer didn’t see too many heat spikes, but we were treated to cooler than normal mornings, which slowed down the maturation process leading to a night pick on October 14th.
Harvest date: October 14th, 2018 Appellation: Sonoma Coast Vineyard: Gold Coast Vineyard Brix at harvest: 25.5 Fermentation: 50% new French Oak, 50% used French Oak Aging: Aged 10 monthly in French oak, on the lees, stirred monthly Alcohol: 14.5% pH: 3.46 TA: 6.40 g/L Bottled: July 2019 Case production: 155 cases Winemaker: Thomas Bougetz
VINIFICATION The 2017 harvest commenced in early August and due to cooler weather, continued slowly. These grapes were picked on September 1st, just before the temperature dramatically shifted and the 100+ degree weather that arrived over Labor Day. Warm days with cool nights led to riper flavors at low sugar levels and incredible brightness and fresh acidity in the fruit.
Our vineyards are planted to a range of clones, from the famed perfumed Dijon clones to the fleshy clone 17, to the tropical clone 4. Through
small-lot fermentation, we enhance the distinction of each clone, then blend in proportions that bring the best of each to the resulting wine.
The grapes were harvested in the morning and whole-cluster pressed. Following fermentation in French oak barrels, the wine was allowed to remain in contact with the yeast lees for the entire nine-month maturation period and stirred periodically in order to integrate the nutty deep flavors of the lees into the wine. Approximately half of the blend underwent malolactic fermentation
TASTING NOTES The color is a medium pale golden yellow with aromas of pear, fig, and tropical fruit showcasing the wine’s fruit intensity. Stone fruit flavors are complemented by pretty notes of balanced oak. Undertones of butterscotch and vanilla provide complexity. The initial creaminess on the palate evolves into a crisp finish.
