2011 Chardonnay is here...

by Carey Kienitz, May 24, 2012

This weekend we are set to debut our 2011 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay from Garnier Vineyard in Mosier. We think of this as a debutante ball...I mean, it is Chardonnay, but we won't enforce a black tie dress code. This is Hood River after all, so you can happily show up in jeans and a baseball cap. In fact, that's what I will be wearing.

For the record, the '11 vintage is similar to '09 in flavor and structure (which is probably good since it was your love for the '09 that led to its rapid disappearance). Half of the fruit for the '11 was fermented in neutral barrel…the other half in temperature controlled stainless steel. We believe that this balance between body and edginess suited the vintage. We made no acid adjustments, and we inhibited ML, so it's not flabby or buttery. It's a great example of the difference between fruity and sweet, as it shows loads of fruit but is dry (<0.4%RS). This is Chardonnay for people who think they don't like Chardonnay anymore.

We only made 124 or so cases so we don't expect it to be around the tasting room for more than a year, but it has enough acid to age well for at least five times that long. And in case you're wondering, you didn't miss anything, and it's not a typo...there is no 2010 vintage.

So, this Memorial Day Weekend, when the sun comes out and you're feeling liberated from this lingering spring rain, and you find yourself looking for an excuse to get out and see a waterfall or take a hike, why don't you come out to the Gorge and get your hands on a growlier of stellar Chardonnay while you're at it.  

Cheers!

Categories: winemaking , Events