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2007 Reserve Chardonnay - Carneros [ $35
]
The grapes for our 2007 Reserve Chardonnay come primarily from Ferrari-Carano’s vineyard in the Napa Valley Carneros appellation. Comprised of three Chardonnay clones, this wine has lush fig, apple, graham cracker, and hazelnut aromas with delicious caramel, pear, mango, and toasty oak flavors with a creamy, buttery finish. The cool climate of Napa Valley Carneros and Russian River Valley imparts its unique delicacy and finesse to the wine, while the Alexander Valley component adds an intensely rich mouth-filling character.
Vintage Notes
A mild winter with below average rainfall led to early bud break in March and a dry and moderate late spring and summer. These conditions contributed to high grape cluster counts with berries that were small, which enhanced the quality of the fruit. All of the grapes for this wine were harvested within the first couple weeks of September, making this harvest one of the fastest we’ve seen in recent years.
Winemakers Notes
Each individual lot for this wine is whole cluster pressed and then cold settled for two days in stainless steel tanks before moving to barrels for fermentation. The wine completes 75 percent malolactic fermentation and is sur lie aged in French oak barrels and stirred every two weeks for ten months until blending in June. Then the blended wine is aged an additional six months in neutral French oak until bottling.
| Appellation: |
89% Napa Valley Carneros, 6% Alexander Valley, 5%Russian River Valley
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| Blend: |
100% Chardonnay |
| Cooperage: |
36% new French oak, 64% older French oak
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| Release Day: |
June 2009 |
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Rhonda's Recipe and Pairing Notes
Smoked Chicken Ravioli
In addition to a wide variety of appetizers, seafood such as shellfish and poultry dishes, the 2007 Reserve Chardonnay pairs perfectly with richer foods that enhances this fuller bodied and deliciously creamy wine.
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