Vineyard: Site Located five miles from the Pacific off Bodega Highway, midway between Sebastopol and Bodega Bay, the vineyard sits at 800’ on a south-facing slope overlooking the Estero Americano (which funnels cooling marine weather to the Sacramento delta via the Petaluma Gap). Soil is Goldridge Loam uplifted from ancient ocean floor. Planted on low-vigor rootstock (420A) to the Wente selection chosen from one of our Hyde Vineyard blocks.

Vintage Notes : “…Medium-bodied with great richness and depth in the mouth, it has a lovely creamy texture offset by a wicked backbone of freshness, finishing long with mineral and savory/yeasty layers.” 95 pts – Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, March 2017. 2014 was another classic vintage. A mild winter and spring caused an early bud break followed by consistent temperatures throughout the summer, promoting even ripening. We had ample hang time which in turn yielded intense varietal character and a rich texture.

Winemaking: We press the whole clusters for delicacy. Native-yeast and full native malolactic fermentation take place in barrel, with sur lies bâtonnage. After aging 19 months in 25% new French oak barrels (François Frères and Taransaud), this Chardonnay was fined and settled in tank following the next harvest. It was then bottled without filtration.

Winemaker Notes: The Platt Vineyard is our coolest site, producing wine that is more focused and mineral driven than fruit driven.