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2022 Etude Estate Chardonnay

2022 Etude Estate Chardonnay

Etude

2022 Etude Estate Chardonnay

$240.00
Case (12)
The Price was $480.00 The discounted Price $240.00

Tasting Notes

Sourced from six special acres in the heart of our estate vines at Grace Benoist Ranch, this Chardonnay is the epitome of elegance and grace. Crafted intentionally to showcase the expressive fruit from the land, the nose is steely and bright with hints of white flowers, citrus peel, and apple blossom. On the palate, juicy Anjou pear, fresh Meyer Lemon, and subtle notes of meringue crème complement secondary layers of brioche, nutmeg, and freshly baked pie crust. The body is weighty and round with good depth, persistence, and balance, highlighting the lively fruit and vibrant acidity, all leading to a long, mouthwatering finish that is zesty and inviting. This is a truly quaffable wine, enjoy al fresco, or alongside your favorite culinary treats!

Technical Information

Varietal Chardonnay
Vintage 2022
Volume 750mL
Appellation Carneros
Alcohol % 13.5%

Winemaking

The fruit for our Carneros Estate Chardonnay was harvested early, prior to the heat wave, and picked at night to preserve freshness and acidity. Our winemakers gently whole cluster pressed the grapes before transferring to neutral French oak barrels for fermentation. The wine was bottled after 10 months of maturation, with a periodic stirring of the yeast lees for the initial two months of aging to enhance aromatics and increase mid-palate texture. Crafted to showcase the unique terroir of Grace Benoist Ranch, the wine did not go through malolactic fermentation and only experienced a delicate touch of neutral French oak to preserve the natural acidity and beauty of cool-climate Carneros Chardonnay.

Vintage

The first half of the 2022 harvest started calm and early, with healthy vineyards offering fruit with bright acidity, fruit-forward flavors, and strong yields. Then, California experienced a historic heat wave in early September that ramped up the pace of ripening, compelling a fast-and-furious harvest as winemakers worked to pick fruit at its best quality. Fortunately, strong vines and proactive irrigation helped the vineyard survive the heat. The second half of the season was much more predictable with cooler temperatures through October, so that all varieties could develop to their full flavor and texture potential.

Vineyard

Unlike most Carneros vineyards, which are largely uplifted bay bottoms with soils composed of clay, our Grace Benoist Ranch estate, which lies tucked away in the far northwest corner of the Carneros appellation, has soils of volcanic origin. Combining these well-drained, rocky upland soils with the extreme western location closer to San Pablo Bay, makes this cooler site an ideal place to grow Burgundian varieties. Vineyard blocks are individually managed to conform to various soil types and the changing contours of the hillside topography. Individual vineyards within Grace Benoist Ranch average only eight acres in size and spacing is dense to ensure low per-vine yields of fully concentrated fruit. As stewards of the property, Etude remains steadfast in our commitment to adhering to sustainable agricultural practices that enable us to farm in concert with the surrounding environment. Wildlife corridors, raptor roosts, and owl boxes are abundant throughout the ranch.