Rombauer Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay 2021 750mL
TASTING NOTES: Ripe peach, citrus fruits, spice, and pie crust aromas all mingle and lift from the glass. The citrus, supported by notes of apricot, continues on the palate which is concentrated with a rich, creamy middle palate, and strong supporting acidity. The finish is long and marked with hints of vanilla. This wine will continue to build richness as it ages in the bottle.
Rombauer Vineyards produced their first Chardonnay with the 1982 vintage, but it wasn’t until 1990 that the Rombauer family made their first Chardonnay from the Carneros region, where the San Pablo Bay meets the southern end of Napa and Sonoma valleys. The cool climate and soils of this region provide ideal conditions for this quinessential Carneros Chardonnay with the Rombauer hallmarks of intense fruit flavors balanced by fresh acidity.
VINEYARDS: The fruit for this wine comes from vineyards in the Carneros region owned by the Rombauer family and select growers including the Sangiacomo family, long-term grower partners who have farmed this land for three generations.
WINEGROWING: There were light rains in January and February and then no notable precipitation occurred for the rest of the growing season. This allowed the fruit to flower and set beautifully, leading into a warm summer without major heat spikes. Sustainable farming practices throughout the growing season were tailored to each block with the assistance of aerial photos produced using NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) technology. Harvest was long, with the ideal conditions allowing us to pick each block at its optimal ripeness and at night to preserve its natural acidity.
WINEMAKING: The grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed while the fruit was still cool. The juice was pumped to tank to cold-settle overnight before it was racked to barrel for primary and malolactic fermentations. The lees were stirred every two weeks to give the wine rich flavors and a creamy texture.
FOOD PAIRINGS: Our favorite Joy of Cooking® pairings* for this wine include Tuna-Avocado Burgers, Lobster Rolls and Fettuccine with Salmon and Asparagus. *Recipes for pairing may be found in the Joy of Cooking.
RELEASE DATE : July 2022 APPELLATION: Carneros
VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 100% Chardonnay
HARVESTED: August 31st-Oct. 8th, 2021
AVG BRIX AT HARVEST: 23.6
COOPERAGE: 9 months in American and French oak (30% new)
Alcohol: 14.5%