94 POINTS
  • 2018 Heirloom Pinot Noir
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2018 Heirloom Chardonnay

2018 Heirloom Chardonnay

Carneros750ml 14.1

Etude’s Heirloom Chardonnay, produced from several heirloom selections of the variety, is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of plant diversity. It exemplifies the singular, superior ...

Etude’s Heirloom Chardonnay, produced from several heirloom selections of the variety, is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of plant diversity. It exemplifies the singular, superior wines – unusually expressive, concentrated and pure – that issue from original varieties or vine selections chosen for the inherent wine quality they produce.

  • Alcohol 14%
$65.00
$65.00 $67.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2018
  • Region: Carneros
  • Appelation: Carneros
  • ABV: 14.1
  • Varietal: Chardonnay

Tasting Notes

Only produced in the finest years, our 2018 Heirloom Chardonnay is rich, warm and inviting, exhibiting aromas of bright Meyer lemon, golden delicious apple, vanilla crème and toasted almond. The fruit is vibrant and fresh, showcasing zippy citrus fruit, warm lemon curd and apple custard. The acidity remains persistent throughout and provides a lean backbone and presence to the rounded, viscous texture, a component of the lees stirring during maturation in barrel, leading to a long mouthwatering juicy finish.

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Expert reviews

94 POINTS

“This is a beautiful, very creamy white with cooked apple, dried lemon and hints of vanilla and praline. It’s full-bodied with a firm texture and a dense palate. Clear and beautiful. Drink or hold.” - James Suckling, August 2021

90 POINTS

“Crisp and well-structured, with a juicy savoriness to the kumquat, ripe apple and melon flavors that are fleshy and well-spiced, with toasty accents on the finish. Drink now through 2024. 200 cases made.” - Kim Marcus, July 31, 2021

91 POINTS

“The 2018 Chardonnay Estate Heirloom comes from a block planted to a suitcase clone. It went through spontaneous fermentation and malolactic in neutral French oak barrel. The nose is subtle and understated, revealing notes of lemon curd, white peach and orange blossoms with hints of marzipan and baker's yeast. The medium-bodied palate is delicately played with beautiful poise and well-knit freshness, finishing on a lingering savory note. 200 cases were made.” - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

The Vineyard

GRACE BENOIST RANCH

Planted during the initial development of the Grace Benoist Ranch in 2000, the grapes for our Heirloom Chardonnay come from shy-bearing selections that produce small bunches and even smaller berries. Extremely low yields are typical of these unique vines, but the resulting wines are both expressive of their origins and the unique and varied site on which they’re grown. The Chardonnay vineyards at Grace Benoist Ranch have deep, well-drained loamy soils, ideal for growing this cool climate varietal.

Process

The 2018 vintage

  • Napa & Carneros

    A near perfect season was welcomed in 2018 after several tense vintages, beginning with abundant February rains followed by drying sun and weather that allowed for even flowering and bud break. The slightly later start was followed by consistently ideal weather, with harvest for Pinot Noir occurring in late August and early September. Generally normal to heavier fruit-set with great flavor intensity and complexity will be the hallmark of the season.

  • Sonoma Coast

    Hallberg sits in one of the coolest areas of Sonoma County. Cooler temperatures and moderate weather allowed grapes to ripen perfectly, developing deep complexity, intensity, ripeness and balance with a beautiful freshness that came naturally. There was little to no frost during the spring fruit set and no heat spikes throughout the growing season – all of which helped the grapes reach full maturity, with harvest occurring in mid-September. Generally normal to heavier fruit-set with great flavor intensity and complexity will be the hallmark of the season.

  • Willamette Valley

    The Yamhill-Carlton District of Willamette Valley experienced an almost return to normal vintage in 2018. The spring and summer were some of the warmest and driest on record, but with no heat spikes recorded, the season increased in length due to the cool autumn weather. That allowed grapes to hang and develop complex flavors on the vine, while retaining freshness and acidity. The characteristic of the vintage is rich Pinot Noir fruit, with fully developed flavors, and a richness of tannins that gave structure to the wines.

  • Santa Barbara

    What may be considered a ‘classic’ vintage, the wines from 2018 show tremendous intensity and complexity. Santa Barbara County provided a mild to warm summer, with a cooler autumn, allowing the grapes to remain on the vine until they reached ideal maturity. While the quality of the grapes was phenomenal, our overall yields were down slightly due to smaller berry size and clusters. The fruit was harvested in late September, yielding wines with beautifully balanced acidity, exceptional weight and texture, and complex varietal flavors.

Crafted Excellence

Winemaking

The fruit for the Heirloom Chardonnay was harvested at night and gently whole-cluster pressed before being transferred to French oak barrels for fermentation. Traditional in approach, the wine was bottled after 16 months of maturation, with a periodic stirring of the yeast lees for the initial two months of aging to enhance aromatics and increase mouthfeel texture. This small lot Chardonnay was crafted to showcase the unique terroir at Grace Benoist Ranch. The wine underwent full natural and spontaneous primary fermentation and malolactic fermentation in order to diminish the winery intervention and highlight the natural acidity and beauty of the Chardonnay grape.