Once an apple orchard, the Valley Foothills Vineyard spans 850 acres—170 of those are planted with mature 30+ year-old vines and are home to multiple tributaries which feed the nearby Navarro River. The rich soil and distinct microclimate are ideal for this Robert Young clone Chardonnay. Vines are planted on an alluvial terrace just 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean located in the deep end of Anderson Valley. The 2020 growing season was marked by very low precipitation, with smaller-than-average yields and cluster weights. The trade-off—concentration of fruit—was simply astounding. Harvest took place on Aug. 29, 2020.
The grapes were harvested by hand. Whole clusters were fed directly to press. The following morning the racked juice was moved to François Frères barrels, 25% new, where it underwent, and completed, native yeast primary fermentation. Bi-weekly bâtonnage was performed
through completion of malolactic fermentation in late February. The wine remained on its lees for a full year prior to bottling.
Oh-so-refreshing and refined—and coyly hinting at a creamy, voluptuous side—our versatile Valley Foothills Vineyard Chardonnay will take you from a spread of casual hors d’oeuvres straight through to dinner. We love it with Dungeness crab cakes, pesto mac & cheese bites, or an herbed pork tenderloin on the grill.
