2005 Chardonnay - Edna Valley

Overview
Chuck Ortman was one of the first California winemakers to explore the benefits of fermenting Chardonnay in French oak barrels, a classic Burgundian technique that helped earn Chuck the nickname "Mr. Chardonnay" in industry circles. Today, he and Winemaker Matt Ortman advance their family tradition by crafting barrel-fermented Chardonnay with a stylistic emphasis on balance, elegance and finesse.

Vineyard
Edna Valley's long, marine-moderated growing season is a perfect fit for our style of Chardonnay, offering fully defined flavors with fine structure and refreshing acidity. Here, we have chosen Firepeak Vineyard as the foundation for our Chardonnay program. We select three synergistic clones at Firepeak (Clone 4, Clone 76, and Clone 96) to bring fullness and complexity to the flavor profile. The vineyard's rocky, volcanic soils encourage added depth of flavor in the wine. To this, we blend a small percentage of Chardonnay from Cat Canyon Vineyard in Santa Barbara County's Los Alamos Valley, a component that contributes nuances of citrus and flint.

Winemaking
Mild harvest weather lengthened the growing season in 2005, enabling the grapes to develop excellent physiological ripeness. The three clone blocks were hand picked separately in the cool morning hours on October 4 and October 5. After gentle whole-cluster pressing, the juice was cold settled for two days, then racked to French oak barrels for fermentation. Secondary malolactic fermentation was induced in 40 percent of the wine to add dimension to the palate. The wine was aged sur lie in French oak barrels for 11 months, with the lees stirred monthly. The final blend was the result of rigorous tasting trials, through which we selected the finest barrels and balanced the individual clone attributes.

Tasting Notes
Our 2005 Chardonnay begins with striking aromas of pear, green apple, vanilla and caramel. The palate is exquisitely weighted, unfolding with smooth flavors of mango, pineapple, citrus and butterscotch. Accents of flint and hazelnut emerge on a long, graceful finish. Savory pairings include almond-crusted halibut, poached salmon in butter sauce, sautéed chicken in lemon-garlic sauce, and creamy pasta primavera.

Purchase Fact Sheet (1 page, 418 KB)

91 Points
"Seamless and exciting...Rich mid-palate and minerally citrus finish."
Linda Murphy, Wine Review Online - 7/10/07

Big, voluptuous...
"Epitomizes what Edna Valley white wines are all about."
Schaefer on Wine, Santa Barbara News Press - 7/5/07