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Chardonnay

Reserve Chardonnay Wine Details
Price: $16.95 per bottle

Description: This wine is made from the same Chardonnay grapes used to make the 2002 Chardonnay wine previously described. The difference lies in the way the wine was processed. Once the juice was inoculated with cultured yeast, approximately half of the juice was racked from the stainless steel tank down to the cellar and into 225 liter (59 gallon) oak barrels to complete the fermentation. Near the end of primary fermentation, the wine was inoculated with secondary cultured yeast to complete a Malo-Lactic fermentation. This secondary fermentation converts Malic acid to Lactic acid. This conversion softens the mouthfeel and adds additional taste descriptors like butter, cream and walnuts to produce an elegant and balanced wine. This is a dry wine. Bottled 353 cases. Bronze Medal 2003 Texas Open Wine & Food Competition

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.


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