Sparrow Hawk Winery
2011 SparrowHawk Reserve Chardonnay
Chardonnay
California: Russian River Valley
Mission Briefing
Soaring above it all
Russian River Valley is one of our favorite appellations for California Chardonnay. Today’s 2011 SparrowHawk Reserve Chardonnay was an incredible find and we offer this very elegant wine to you with our heartiest recommendation.
Elegant, flavorful and with a finish that goes on forever, this wine will be a big hit at your dinner table. Pair this very food-friendly wine with a wide variety of meals or your favorite appetizer fare. Asian food would be an excellent choice.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Pale straw with hints of gold at the edges. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Sweet and ripe on the nose with pineapple, golden delicious apple, hazelnut, melon rind, green papaya and a hint of chalky minerality. |
| Taste: | Honeydew melon, young green fig, vanilla, young pear, white peach, white currant and a hint of walnut. |
| Finish: | Fresh and packed with flavors that sustain for a very long time. At the end, pomello hangs around the longest. |
| Pairing: | Enjoy this wonderful wine with crab cakes with a ginger and turmeric aioli. |
What the Winery Says
2011 Sparrowhawk Reserve Chardonnay
100% of the fruit comes a single vineyard that is family owned and was planted in 1999. The vineyard is sustainably farmed using nature to keep the vineyards healthy. There is a portion of the land dedicated to preserve a habitat for Hawks and owls to naturally control the rodent and pest population. The vines are carefully watched over throughout the year by the grower who lives on property who will typically touch each vine no less than seven times throughout the year to bring in the highest quality fruit possible. The grapes are hand sorted and picked to ensure the fruit is at desired ripeness and to remove any imperfections.
Located on a hillside 300 feet above sea level and within a dozen miles of the Pacific Ocean, the vines are grown in soils with aged mineral deposits which are stressed and pruned for low yielding fruit that showcases all the complexities and balance the finer chardonnays showcase from the Russian River. The flavors carry a tropical mid palate laced with subtle vanilla oak notes balanced with nice acidity and a creamy finish that leaves you with lingering notes of succulent pineapple.
- APPELLATION
- Russian River Valley
- VARIETAL
- Chardonnay
- AGING
- Barrel Aged 15 Months in 60% New French Oak
- ALCOHOL
- 14.1%
- CASE PRODUCTION
- 850
About the Winery
ABOUT US The principals behind Sparrow Hawk, Harry and Tim Parsley, have cultivated terrific relationships with both growers and vintners’. Their wealth of experience combined with the access of some of the best fruit and talent has enabled Sparrow Hawk the opportunity to provide wine in the bottle that is an excellent example of the appellation at a price that consistently and significantly over delivers. This boutique producer is guided by the experience that Harry and Tim Parsley bring to the table from retailer, wholesaler, grower and producer.
SparrowHawk Wines are sourced from some of the finest vineyards in Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Our wealth of experience combined with the access of some of the best fruit and talent has enabled SparrowHawk the opportunity to provide wine in the bottle that is an excellent example of the appellation at a price that consistently and significantly over delivers.