VINEYARDS The Soberanes Vineyard is named for the family of the original Spanish land grant. It is situated on a small terrace adjacent to the famous Garys’ Vineyard. Planted in 2007, Soberanes has thirty-eight acres of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. It has an Eastern exposure and sits on classic alluvial sandy loam soil.
VINTAGE The 2015 vintage offered excellent growing conditions. A mild winter and spring compounded with almost no rain contributed to early ripening, low to moderate yields and highly concentrated grapes resulting in exceptional quality. 2015 is one of the earliest vintages we’ve seen in over a decade, but it will also go down as one of the best.
FERMENTATION The grapes were whole –cluster pressed to tank and cold settled overnight, then racked off heavy solids to barrels. We try to retain the perfect balance of solids for palate weight and complexity. The juice was fermented with indigenous yeast to dryness. Malolactic fermentation was long and cool, also using indigenous flora.
SENSORY NOTES This chardonnay delivers aromas of gravenstein apple, lime zest and a touch of spruce. The palate is creamy with great acidity. Flavors of meyer lemon, ripe apple and pie crust come to mind first. The finish is briny with an elegant toasted component.