The 2020 Santa Cruz Chardonnay is from the Blue Jay vineyard I continue to farm, largely being replanted to Gamay and Savagnin. The vineyard was originally established by Roudon Smith Winery circa ~1972, and from what I understand was first Riesling, but fairly quickly converted to a Chardonnay vineyard. Beautiful south facing Santa Cruz vineyard on well drained sandy soils. The Chardonnay was picked on August 29th 2020 and was direct pressed followed by an ambient settling and racking the next day. The juice was allowed to begin native ferment in stainless but quickly racked to neutral french oak barrels for fermentation in barrique. The wine was topped up and maintained for 3.5 years sur lie, and bottled unfined, unfiltered, and 0/0. The long elevage allows for a long and slow concentration of the wine, strengthening it, and allowing typical fruity/young characters to fall away to set the stage for a more savoury and complex wine. Aged 10 months in bottle. Only 44 cases made. 13% ABV
