VINEYARD El Diablo
CLONES Montrachet, Robert Young
ORIENTATION North/East
TRELLISING VSP
SOIL Sprekles loam, Felta very gravelly loam
FERMENTATION 52% foudre, 48% barrel fermentation
OAK 48% new French oak for 14 months, 13% new Austrian oak for 14 months
ALCOHOL 13.4%
pH 3.11
TA 7.02 g/L
AROMA
Complex. Lychee nut, honeycomb, and crème brûlée with freshly baked brioche and apple blossoms.
PALATE
Superbly textural, with fresh lemon zest, and tension between vivacity and richness.
Planted in 2008, El Diablo Vineyard has an average elevation of 500 feet. This tightly spaced vineyard encourages competition between the vines for a fixed amount of nutrients, resulting in reduced yields and exemplary quality.
Minimal cellar intervention and impressive terroir combine to create a wine that is both opulent and elegant. Crafted from the famed Montrachet and Robert Young clones, this is one of the finest Chardonnays we have ever produced, combining remarkable tension and length with an almost weightless sense of richness. In the winery, we aged 52% of the wine for 11 months in large-format foudres before transferring it to 60-gallon French oak barrels to impart a leesy richness. The result is as delicious as it is complex, with riveting layers of lychee, lemon zest, brioche, honeycomb, apple blossom, and crème brulée.
Fact of Note: Aged further in stainless steel tank for 2 months prior to bottling.
THE RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY IS hallowed ground for lovers of great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Here, the vines are submersed in clockwork fog and daytime temperature swings, which preserve the natural acidity essential to elegant, age-worthy wines. We work with a handful of the most beloved vineyards from this remarkable wine region considered by many to be the heartland of California Pinot Noir.
Within Russian River Valley, in a town tucked away from the main roads, you’ll find a community ranging from writer to artisan. The town of Graton is an area where local winemakers and growers take a respite and enjoy some of the many popular yet under-the-radar restaurants. During harvest, the little town is full of life and bustling.
