2018 Alder Springs Vineyard Chardonnay
This 2018 offering is fresh and complex with layers of mango, guava and pear. Dried white flowers intertwine with candied citrus and ginger notes that gyrate from the glass, backed by spicy clove and toasted candied almond. Creamy and rich, this very complex wine maintains a delicate and energetic flow on the palate, driven by lovely high-mountain acidity that adds poise and freshness to the densely packed flavors and long finish. This is a very fine Alder Springs Chardonnay that will reward the patient collector.
The weather in 2018 was in a word: spectacular, making this another exceptionally-fine vintage for Mendocino County. A near record long growing season, with plenty of cool days, punctuated with sunny and warm patches allowed flavors and textures to mature fully at a relaxed pace. While other regions in California had large crops, Alder Springs’ had slightly below average yields, no doubt due to the low vigor of the high mountain slopes. The acidity levels were slightly higher than normal, with perfectly ripened, richly textured fruit. Though the year was cool, and had the potential for disease issues, the fruit was faultlessly clean. A vintage to remember!
In 2018, we selected fruit exclusively from two small blocks at the very top of Alder Springs Vineyard: Emerald Pool and East Face. At 2,600 feet in elevation, these impeccably farmed blocks on the flanks of Cahto Peak in Northern Mendocino represent some of the highest elevation Chardonnay plantings in the state. While this elevation poses challenges, when conditions align—as they did in 2018—Alder Springs can produce a rare, terroir-inspired wine unlike any other. Our 2018 Alder Springs Vineyard, Mendocino Chardonnay is 100% varietal from a blend of Dijon clones 76, 809 and 124, as well as California heirloom selections, Wente and Robert Young fruit—all grown under the watchful eye of vineyard owner Stuart Bewley, one of the finest viticulturists in California.
100% Whole-cluster pressed
100% Burgundian French oak barrels (35% new; 65% 1-2-year old)
Bottled without filtration to preserve the wine’s aromas and flavors and enhance aging potential
- Type:
- White
- Varietal:
- Chardonnay
- Region:
- California
- Appellation:
- Mendocino
- Vintage:
- 2018
- Blend:
- 100% Chardonnay fruit
- Aging:
- Sur lie aged with weekly stirring
- Alcohol:
- 13.5
- Fermentation:
- 100% indigenous yeast fermentations; 100% malo-lactic fermentation in barrel