Foley Johnson - Sta Rita Hills - Chardonnay 2012

Tasting notes

The secret to our success with the Steel Chardonnay is the high quality fruit sourced from Courtney's Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills. 2012 was a perfect growing season with consistently warm weather that produced both high quality and quantities of fruit. This 2012 Chardonnay is medium-bodied with bright acidity. The crisp aromas and layered flavors of citrus, lime, and white flowers makes this wine a perfect aperitif or accompaniment to grilled chicken or white fish.

Vintage

Summer on the Central Coast started off on the cool side again this year. Heat waves finally arrived in mid-August giving the vines some water stress that kept cluster sizes down and helped ripen grapes. The sustained heat resulted in lower than normal yields, but created wines that are concentrated and much more powerful than the 2011's.

Winemaking

Courtney's Vineyard is located in the Sta. Rita Hills region of Santa Barbara. Climbing from 500 to 1,000 feet above sea level, this hilly site is treated as a series of individual mirco-vineyards delineated by soil, exposure, elevation, grade, rootstock, and clones. The well-draining soils and cool maritime climate make this a perfect spot for Chardonnay. Produced by guest winemaker Leslie Renaud of Foley Estates, this wine shows the clarity and structure typical of its cool climate origins. After whole cluster pressing, the juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks using native yeast that is ideal for cool-climate Chardonnay. To emphasize freshness, varietal purity and regional character, malolactic fermentation was prevented

USA California Sta. Rita Hills