2008 Allen Vineyard Chardonnay
Winemaker's Notes
Ripe Gravenstein apples, pears, cinnamon, and honeysuckle direct the aromas of this wine. Flavors of toasted vanilla, spice, ripe Gravenstein apples, nectarines, mineral and roasted almonds linger on the palate. The follow-through in the mouth is rich, creamy and concentrated with a citrus and fresh apple finish. This is a classic Allen wine with loads of concentration, complexity and life.
—Winemaker Bob Cabral
The Vineyard
The Allen Chardonnay Vineyard is adjacent to Rochioli Vineyard, approximately six miles southwest of the town of Healdsburg, banking the Russian River. Fog-cooled evenings and moderately warm daytime temperatures make the Russian River Valley region ideal for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes.
Harvest 2008
2008 provided very concentrated, flavorful and high quality wines that are vividly expressive of the vineyards in which they were grown, despite being a difficult year for growing. The combination of numerous springtime frosts and cold rains damaged our buds and clusters, thus resulting in a lighter than average year. During the summer, the vines encountered near-perfect fruit ripening weather characterized by warm and sunny days with exceptionally few heat spikes. Very warm August temperatures quickened ripening beginning a very early, fast and furious harvest. The decreased yields resulted in very concentrated and extremely high quality wines, with brilliant flavor and phenolic ripening. The wines of 2008 express their distinctive sites and qualities in a very intense and focused manner: this is truly a vintage for the cellars, with great ageing potential for years to come.
Technical Notes
| Barrel Description: | 30% new, 25% 1-year-old, 25% 2-year-old, 20% 3+ year old |
|---|---|
| Barrel Aged: | 16 months |
| pH: | 3.21 |
| TA: | 0.60g/100ml |
| Alc.: | 14.8% |
| Release Date: | Spring 2010 |
| Release Price: | $50 |