Clay Creek Vineyards Chardonnay 2023 (California)

Description

Crème brûlée, Oak, Vanilla

"The bouquet is upfront and inviting and shows rockmelon, pineapple, mango, and vanillin oak characters. The richly flavoursome palate delivers excellent weight and plush texture, well supported by fine acidity, making it delectably appealing. At its best: now to 2027" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Apr 2025

The 2023 Clay Creek Vineyards California Chardonnay consists of beautifully integrated aromas of melon, ripe pear and vanilla, highlighted by delicate hints of white flowers. Bright and balanced, this full-bodied Chardonnay displays flavors of peach, honeydew melon, pineapple and crème brulée. The taste has a lovely, complex structure and good acidity, which leads to a rich, ripe juicy finish.

The Chardonnay grapes were carefully selected from diverse vineyards in California. The vineyards are blended from cool and warm climates to create complexity and layers of flavor.

The 2023 vintage unfolded with a cool start, encouraging slow and even ripening throughout the season. Warm days, coupled with minimal heat spikes, provided an ideal environment for the grapes to mature steadily. This balance allowed the fruit to retain its bright, fresh, and clean flavors, resulting in wines that embody purity and vibrancy.

Picking decisions are based on winemaker evaluation, vineyard condition and proper avor ripeness. The winemakers tend to pick on the mid to late side to promote the tropical flavors and to retain the natural acids. The juice is clarified and racked to stainless steel tanks for fermentation, a portion of which is fermented and aged on a combination of French and American oak for three months.