2020 Chardonnay Reserve
In Stock
It began as a plan to craft a Chardonnay that captured the true essence of our estate Riverview Vineyard, an exceptional benchland site. It evolved into creating a micro-winery on the vineyard in order to conduct a true native yeast, in-vineyard fermentation. What can we say, we got carried away! But the result is a wine that beautifully displays Riverview’s unique thumbprint. Only 72 cases produced.
Our 2020 Riverview Chardonnay has aromas of green apple, citrus, and pear with notes of butterscotch, vanilla and toasty oak. A full, expressive palate is deftly balanced with refreshing acidity, and the satisfying finish is buoyed by bright fruit and a creamy butter richness.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2020
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Monterey
Vineyard
Riverview
Harvest Date
September 22-24, 2020
pH
3.57
Aging
100% French oak, 6 months
Bottling Date
July 25, 2020
Alcohol %
14.10
Wine Profile
Vineyard
Our Riverview Vineyard is located two miles southeast of Soledad and adjacent to the Pinnacles National Park on a bench overlooking the Salinas River. The bench location aids in creating excellent air flow and the southwestern exposure maximizes available sunlight. Morning fog and afternoon winds from the Monterey Bay’s marine influence create a true Region I climate, allowing the fruit to ripen slowly and evenly. Riverview Vineyard is a premier vineyard site with ideal attributes for ultra-premium Chardonnay.
Varietal Composition
The 2020 growing season unfolded with a gentle winter followed by spring rains and moderate temperatures. Lovely 85°F days and cool 55°F evenings allowed for even ripening of the grapes. Warmer late season temperatures had our grapes ready to pick slightly earlier than normal, with our first grapes being harvested in mid-August. This proved to be a blessing because in late August, electrical storms sparked numerous fires that burned throughout Monterey County. Fortunately, fruit from our vineyards closest to the fires had already been picked and the strong winds off Monterey Bay helped to disperse the smoke and keep it from settling over our vineyards. In a year marked by challenge and change, we believe our 2020 vintage wines are a bright spot.
Winemaking
The grapes were picked in the cool early morning hours to ensure freshness. After a short trip from the vine rows to our micro-winery, located in the center of the vineyard, the grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed, then the juice was allowed to settle before being racked to 100% new French oak barrels. The barrels remained in the micro-winery, free from any commercial yeast, ensuring the fermentation was initiated by wild yeast indigenous to the Riverview Vineyard. Following a long, cool barrel fermentation, the wine was kept on its lees and aged for 6 months. Regular stirring of the lees enhanced the aromatics and texture. The final blend was a selection of our top three barrels.
Cases Produced
72