Produced from the first Chardonnay vines planted high on our Mountain Estate, this wine is named for Fred and Juelle's firstborn daughter, Whitney.
First planted in 1973 to Old Wente clone Chardonnay, Whitney's Vineyard grows at 1,000 feet elevation on a gravelly, gently sloping, southwestern facing hillside. Owing to its mountain heritage and low-nutrient soils, this site produces tiny clusters of tightly packed ‘hens and chicks’ (berries of wide ranging size) yielding wines that boast brilliant minerality and classic Chardonnay character. This site was replanted in two phases with greater vine density, establishing new vines in 2013 and 2016, all grafted to original clonal material.
Produced from the first Chardonnay vines planted high on our Mountain Estate, this wine is named for Fred and Juelle's firstborn daughter, Whitney.
Pale straw color; tantalizing aromas of honeydew melon, lemon zest and apricot with a hint of fresh pineapple. This 2011 vintage strikes the perfect balance between ripe fruit flavors and mountain mineral acidity. On the palate flavors of ripe fig, green apple and apricot dance with wet stone minerality and bright acidity, culminating with sweet marzipan lemon meringue for a long finish. A truly scintillating chardonnay that should continue to evolve over the next 10-15 years.