VINTAGE NOTES
2008 Chardonnay
SANTA MARIA VALLEY

VARIETAL 100% Chardonnay
APPELLATION Santa Maria Valley
VINEYARD Garey & Cambria
HARVEST October 7-9, 2008

T.A. 6.40 g/L
PH 3.44
ALCOHOL 14.5%
BOTTLING DATE September 2009
PRODUCTION 1700 cases

HARVEST
Santa Barbara County saw a relatively cool summer growing season that allowed for a very long rip-ening period. Yields were lower than normal but quality was excellent due to the very moderate rip-ening period with no unusual weather events.

VINEYARDS
The Garey Vineyard was planted in 1998 by the Robert Mondavi Winery in the heart of the Santa Maria Valley. The terroir is on of gently sloping hills with sandy loam soils. The Cambria Vine-yard is part of the Jackson Family Estates. The vineyard is on the Santa Maria Mesa Bench and is part of the original Tepusquet Vineyard planted in the late 70’s. Both vineyards are planted to Clone 4.

WINEMAKING
The Chardonnay grapes were hand-picked into half-ton bins and gently pressed in a tank press. The juice was cold-settled for 36 hours and then racked off the juice less, inoculated with yeast and immediately transferred to new French and on-year-old American oak barrels for fermenta-tion in the cool cellar. After the primary fermentation was complete, the barrels were topped and moved to a 65 degree cellar to undergo malolactic fermentation. During malolactic fermentation the barrels were stirred every 10 days, and after stirred every 14 days through April. The wine remained in barrels until early August when it was racked to tank, and filtered once before bot-tling.

TASTING NOTES
This delicious and opulent Chardonnay is highlighted by flavors of white peach, apricot and pip-pin apples. The wine’s natural acidity is balanced by a rich mid-palate with hints of butterscotch and an earthy mineral character, supported by toasty oak.