Produced from the first Chardonnay vines planted high on our Mountain Estate, this wine is named for Fred and Juelle's firstborn daughter, Whitney.
Harvested September 25th and 28th
Juice cold settled in tank for 24 hours and moved to barrel by gravity
Fermented and aged 16 months in French oak barrels (45% new)
No inoculations for primary or secondary fermentation
No sulfite additions during aging
Lees stirred twice monthly for 14 months
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.
Harvested September 25th and 28th
Juice cold settled in tank for 24 hours and moved to barrel by gravity
Fermented and aged 16 months in French oak barrels (45% new)
No inoculations for primary or secondary fermentation
No sulfite additions during aging
Lees stirred twice monthly for 14 months
A spectacular, late-harvesting vintage (picked later-half of September), the 2023 Whitney’s Vineyard Chardonnay finds that illusive balance between complexity and brightness we strive for year after year. The wine opens with aromas of white flowers, jasmine and honeysuckle along-side notes of ocean salinity. This is followed on the palate by pronounced notes of citrus and honeydew melon, all elevated by a framework of vanilla and crème brulee. The long hangtimes and an unhurried harvest allowed for a pure and exuberant expression from this stunning 4.5 acre site!