2022 Bootlegger’s Hill Vineyard Chardonnay
From one of the coldest vineyards we work with, this increasingly famous site sits on a high ridge just east of the town of Occidental. Aromas of white blossom and poaceous, green apple fruit leap from the glass. A savory element of Redwood and cedar box lends complexity along with wet sand minerality. The showstopper on this Bootlegger’s Hill is the taught, crisp acidity, which will allow for many years evolution in the bottle. Along with the broad-shouldered structure, this wine’s linear acid focus (mouthwatering) makes for exceptional balance and a long, lingering finish.
The 2022 vintage in Sonoma was remarkable, marked by a series of climatic challenges and triumphs. Below-average rainfall during the winter months was mitigated by the heavy rains in March and April. A sustained heatwave in August accelerated ripeness, leading to a compressed harvest. The 2022 wines are shaping up to be exceptional, with delightful fruit profiles, acid structures, and concentration. It’s a vintage that captures the essence of Sonoma’s terroir, promising wines that are vibrant, complex, and true to their vineyard origins.
Situated eight miles from the chilly Pacific Ocean, Bootlegger’s Hill is a very cool site, with shallow Goldridge soils that produce low yields of very small-berried clusters with high acidity. This wine was made entirely from a prized west-facing block of Hyde-Wente clone Chardonnay grown on 420A rootstock.
- 100% Chardonnay fruit
- 100% Whole-cluster pressed
- 100% indigenous yeast fermentations
- Sur lie aged with regular stirring
- 100% malo-lactic fermentation in barrel
- 100% Burgundian French oak barrels (33% new; 67% 1&2 year-old). All 3-year aged staves
- Aged 18 months on primary lees before bottling
- Bottled without filtration to preserve the wine’s aromas and flavors and enhance aging potential
- Type:
- White
- Varietal:
- Chardonnay
- Region:
- California
- Appellation:
- Russian River Valley
- Vintage:
- 2022