2023 Chardonnay
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Notes
Eye
Pale golden straw with glints of green at rim.Nose
Lime blossom and white nectarine followed by lemongrass and honeysuckle. Secondary layers of fresh cream, golden kiwi, almond croissant, and a hint of chamomile.Palate
Light-bodied yet texturally expressive. Throughline of saline minerality supports layers of tart citrus, underripe stone fruit, and a whisper of oak spice. Finish is clean and lightly creamy, tapering with a hint of lemon verbena.Cellar life
Drink now through 2031+. -
Background
Our Chardonnay vineyard is a bona fide outlier, residing at the far northwest corner of our estate property. The soil in this truly wild west vineyard is a dense gray clay, thick enough to pull your shoe off your foot should you venture out when it’s damp. At four acres it typically yields a mere two tons maximum per acre. The fruit extracts from the clay soil a terrifically complex minerality that sets the resulting wine apart from typical Napa Valley Chardonnay offerings. This is vintage no. 21.
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Tech
- Composition
100% Chardonnay - Vineyard source
Brown Estate - Appellation
Napa Valley - Aging
8 months in 40% new French oak; 3 months sur lie - Alc. by vol.
12.5% - Production
300 cases in 12 x 750ml format
- Composition
