MacRostie 2005 Chardonnay

An Interview with the Winemaker:
Steve MacRostie, leading the flock of Los Carneros producers

Vineyard Notes:
The grapes for this Chardonnay came from several prime vineyards on both the Sonoma and Napa sides of Carneros, including Sangiacomo, Beresini, Beckstoffer, McCall, Thornton, Hi Vista, Durrell, and Mitsuko’s vineyard. Our very own Wildcat Mountain Estate Vineyard, high up in the hills on the extreme western edge of the Carneros AVA, played a significant role in the blend as well, adding extra dimension.

Yields were moderate, averaging around four tons per acre, although Wildcat was quite a bit lower, as always. The growing season was quite extended, with the weather remaining quite cool all the way through a rather late, almost leisurely harvest. The grapes were picked by hand from September 9 through October 27.

Winemaker Tasting Notes:
Beautiful pale gold in color, the aromas are tropical fruit mixed with a bit of herb, like pineapple sage. In the mouth it is quite rich, more like pineapple upside-down cake, minus the sugar. The finish is clean and refreshing, but lingers on.

Technical Notes:

Appellation:	Carneros
Harvest Dates:	September 9 - October 27, 2005
Bottle Date:	June 5-23, 2006
Oak:	French and Hungarian oak (20% new)