• 2021 Heirloom Pinot Noir
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2021 Heirloom Chardonnay

2021 Heirloom Chardonnay

Carneros750ml

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 13.5%
  • Vintage 2021
$65.00
$65.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2021
  • Region: Carneros
  • Appelation: Carneros
  • Varietal: Chardonnay

Tasting Notes

Only produced in the finest years, this beautiful Heirloom Chardonnay is expressive and elegant, showcasing aromas of Gala apple and Bosc pear alongside sweetened nuances of honeycomb. Furthering its complexity, notes of toasted almond and hints of barrel spice unfold. Vibrant and lively, delicate notes of citrus develop a structure of lithe acidity, complementing a wet stone minerality emblematic of this vineyard’s volcanic soils. The luscious and round texture is a nod to the wine’s bâtonnage (lees stirring) during maturation in barrel, leading to a long, creamy and balanced finish.

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The Vineyard

Grace Benoist Ranch

Etude’s Heirloom Chardonnay, produced from heirloom selections of the variety, is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of plant diversity. Heirloom plants are horticultural treasures that have been handed down from generation to generation for centuries. Like its counterpart, Etude’s Heirloom Pinot Noir, this Chardonnay exemplifies the singular superiority of this unique offering – unusually expressive, concentrated and pure – a tribute to the original varieties or vine selections chosen for the inherent wine quality they produce. Winemaker Jon Priest has always admired the Chardonnay from these Heirloom selections for the inherent elegance, balance and minerality exhibited, and this small bottling, only produced in the best years, highlights these special selections.

Process

The 2021 vintage

  • The 2021 season was joyous and welcomed after the challenges of previous vintages, producing exceptionally high-quality fruit, some of the best in recent years. A tremendous year to taste the nuances and terroir distinction from around the valley.

  • Spring

    Rain early in the year led to almost no notable precipitation for the rest of the season, providing an ideal environment for grapes to flower, bloom, and set in early spring, with budbreak early in April, followed by flowering and bloom in May.

  • Summer

    The summer saw early and even ripening throughout the valley, with veraison appearing in early July.Low yields (in part due to drought conditions), created fruit that is intensely flavored and smaller in berry size.

    One of the earliest starts, harvest began with white wine grapes coming in towards late July, while red wine grapes arrived about a month later, at the end of August.

  • Harvest

    With optimal ripening and taste, our winemakers took their time bringing grapes in, crafting wines of fantastic character, with amazing color extraction, aromatic intensity, tremendous balance, and structure, that are equally lush and fruity.

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 18 months of maturation, with a periodic stirring of the 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 partial malolactic fermentation, allowing more of a “hands off” approach in winemaking, and allowing for the natural acidity and beauty of the Chardonnay grape to truly express itself.