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Carmel Road Arroyo Seco Chardonnay

Carmel Road Arroyo Seco Chardonnay Wine Details
Price: $35.00 per bottle

Description: "Low rainfall, winds and cool temperatures provide the optimal growing conditions for Chardonnay. Berry size was small in 2002, yielding well structured and richly flavored wines. One can taste and smell the typical Arroyo Seco minerality as well as citrus, orange blossom and honeydew." - Ivan Giotenov, Winemaker

Varietal Definition
Chardonnay:
Chardonnay is by far the most widely planted grape crop in California and dominates California’s cooler, coastal, quality wine regions. The natural varietal ‘taste and smell’ of Chardonnay is surprisingly unfamiliar to many wine drinkers, as its true character is often guised with dominating winemaking signatures. Chardonnay’s rather subdued primary fruit characteristics lean toward the crisp fruitiness of apples, pears and lemon, but the variety’s full body is capable of supporting a host of complementary characteristics, such as oak, butter and vanilla. Regardless of what is the appropriate style for Chardonnay, the varietal continues to dominate vineyard plantings in every corner of the world. Close attention to clonal selection has made this broad geographic and climactic range of Chardonnay viable in thoughtful viticultural hands.
Optima:
Recent crossing of Riesling and Sylvaner grape with the Muller-Thurgau. Widely grown in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region of Germany and used for blending purposes in the white wines of the region.


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