Peters Family 2004 Chardonnay, Sangiacomo Vineyard

Winemaking Notes:
The grapes were hand-picked at optimal ripeness, from the Home Ranch section of Sangiacomo Vineyard, in the Carneros appellation. 100% free-run juice was moved to 2 stainless steel tanks to cold-settle for 96 hours. After warming, the juice in one tank was inoculated with a Burgundy yeast strain, then moved to barrels to complete yeast and malolactic fermentation. The juice in the other tank was allowed to warm and begin indigenous wild yeast fermentation, and was then moved to barrels to complete wild yeast and malolactic fermentation.

Aging Notes:
The wines were separately barrel aged sur lies, with frequent batonnage, for a period of 14-16 months. The barrel selection was comprised of 40% new French oak, and 40% one-year old French oak and 20% two-year old American oak. After this extended barrel aging on the lees to enhance color, complexity, texture and flavor, the finest lots were meticulously selected, blended, and then bottled 100% unfiltered.

Tasting Notes:
This delicious, focused Chardonnay reflects both its traditional Burgundian vinification, and Carneros single vineyard terroir. Meticulous, hand-crafted small-lot production has produced a rich, complex chardonnay with beautiful balance and sensational flavors. On the nose the wine exhibits an array of fragrant floral and tropical fruit aromas. On the palate the wine displays ample acidity, with creamy meyer lemon, honeydew, pineapple, and vanilla notes, followed by mineral, caramel and butterscotch notes on the seamless finish.

This sumptuous golden blonde chardonnay is drinking beautifully now in its youth, and will continue to evolve and mature throughout the course of this decade.

Technical Notes:

Vintage:	2004
Appellation:	Carneros
Vineyard:	Sangiacomo Vineyard, Home Ranch
Case Production:	363
Bottling Date:	March 20, 2006
Release Date:	June 2006
Harvest Date:	September 7, 2004
Brix:	24.5 degrees
pH:	3.5
TA:	6.0 g/l
Alcohol:	14.6%