Chalk Hill Sonoma Chardonnay 2018 (California)

Description

• French, American & Hungarian oak
• Warm apple pie
• Vanilla spiced hazlenut
• Rich body

Subtle gold tones shine through in this 2018 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Hints of baking spices and warm apple pie meld together to meet the nose. The fruit manifests rich textural body with extended notes of toasted hazelnut, vanilla custard and crème brulee that rein in the perfect balance of acidity and minerality.

Since its founding, Chalk Hill has been producing artisan wines from their Estate vineyards in the hills of northeastern Sonoma County. For four decades they have studied, prodded and coaxed the complex terroir to ensure that their Estate wines deliver vivid aromatics, commanding flavors, great character and regional accuracy. While their 300+ acres of vineyards surrounding the winery will always be the cornerstone of their identity, starting with the 2011 vintage, in addition to the Estate Chardonnay, they started producing their first Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. This 2018 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay comes from extraordinary vineyards throughout Sonoma County consisting primarily of Foley Family estate vineyards. The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay features fruit from some of the best sites in the Russian River Valley, Carneros, and Chalk Hill. The fruit coming from the Chalk Hill AVA provides richness, concentration, viscosity and nuttiness, while the Carneros AVA delivers structure and notes of apple and pear.

The 2018 growing season was one of the most consistent in recent memory. Mild spring weather led to prime fruit set and ideal growing conditions to set the stage for producing the perfect Chardonnay. The temperate weather allowed for an extended hang-time and substantial ripening without ever being exposed to raisining. The fruit for this 2018 Chardonnay was brought into the winery from September 10th - October 28th, 2018 at optimal ripeness.