2010 Estate Chardonnay Wine Russian River Valley

A crisp wine with lively acidity, loads of citrus, peach and lime rind. A refreshing green apple and toasty vanilla.

• TASTING NOTES

The cooler vintage produced an invigorating, Chablis-like Chardonnay with lively acidity and loads of citrus and stone fruits. Aromas of peach, lime rind, tangerine and orange blossom follow on the palate, along with a refreshing minerality, green apple and a toasty vanilla notes on the finish.

• WINEMAKER NOTES

Our grapes were hand-harvested at night to ensure cool temperatures and to minimize oxidation of the fruit. Winemaker Natalie West used the more gentle method of whole cluster pressing, before placing the juice in 30 percent new French oak barrels and 70 percent neutral oak for fermentation. She stirred the lees every other week during fermentation and once a month during aging, and allowed thirty percent of the wine to go through malolactic fermentation. These techniques helped balance the wine and enhance its creamy texture.

• VINEYARD NOTES

Foppiano Vineyards sits on a 160-acre estate in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley, where the Foppiano family has been producing world class fruit since 1896. 100 percent of the grapes for this wine came from our estate Chardonnay vineyards, averaging 27 years of age. Bud break arrived early in 2010 and this vintage was cooler than many in Russian River's recent history. Plenty of fog and very little heat filled the summer days, resulting in wines with higher acidity and great aromatics.

• FOOD PAIRINGS

This is a medium-bodied, food-friendly wine that pairs well with herb-crusted grilled shrimp, crab cakes, white fish in Meuniere sauce and roasted chicken.

• ACCOLADES

88 points, Tasting Panel Magazine
Bronze Medal, Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, 2012

• TECHNICAL

Harvest Dates : September 28 -29, 2011
Alcohol : 14.5%
pH : 3.39
Residual Sugar: 0.0G/L
Total Acidity : 0.78G/100ML
Barrel Aging : 9 months in 30% new French oak, 70% neutral French oak
Bottled : June 22, 2011
Cases Produced : 940