Chardonnay is one of the world's most popular white wines, and one of the costliest. The grape originated in France and possesses an aroma that is delicate and hard to describe, but easier to recognize. It is often described as having the aroma of apples, lemons, peaches or tropical fruits. It is so delicate that even a small amount of another varietal blended into a Chardonnay can dominate its aroma and flavor. Over-oaking Chardonnay is a common problem and very easy to do. The delicacy of this grape's intrinsic flavor also allows it to express the influences of both the grower's technique and the taste of the region or terroir. Chardonnay vines are fussy to grow, hard to crop and susceptible to many diseases and maladies. The best-case scenarios result in berries that are smallish, thin-skinned, fragile, and oxidize easily. This makes Chardonnay more sensitive to winemaking techniques and more difficult to handle from harvest to bottling than most other grape types, and of course, more costly to produce and to buy.
Our Chardonnay vines have very successfully survived our cold winters, and we expect a good harvest in the fall of 2010.
Clone: Wente clone (FPS 72).