2004 Hawk Hill Vineyard Chardonnay
Winemaker's Notes
The aromas of citrus blossom, stone fruits, honey and minerals dominate. Exhibiting very concentrated flavors of Meyer lemons, ginger, pineapple, honeysuckle and crushed stone, it finishes with a candy lemon drop expression in your mouth. The racy acidity and extended barrel aging gives this wine plenty of aging potential.
—Winemaker Bob Cabral
The Vineyard
Hawk Hill Vineyard is located in the southwestern-most corner of the Russian River appellation, on a high point between cool Bodega Bay and slightly warmer Sebastopol. This area is known for prevailing ocean breezes. These breezes warm the land during the winter, bring early bud break and cool the land in the summer, giving extra hang time. This extended hang time produces fruit with high acid levels, and gives great structure and balance to the wine.
Harvest 2004
A hot spell in March followed by a warm spring influenced an unusually early bloom and budbreak. This precocious start, followed by a growing season of moderate temperatures, resulted in a very early harvest. Although we harvested the grapes two to three weeks earlier than normal, the long season provided ample time for the fruit to reach full maturity and develop extraordinary color and intense flavors. A cooling trend in mid-September offered the Chardonnay additional hang time prior to harvest.
Technical Notes
| Barrel Description: | 33% new, 17% 1-year-old, 17% 2-year-old, 33% 3+ year-old |
|---|---|
| Barrel Aged: | 19 months |
| pH: | 3.40 |
| TA: | 0.59g/100ml |
| Alc.: | 15.1% |
| Release Date: | Fall 2006 |
| Release Price: | $46 |