2023 Lucie Sun Chase Vineyard Chardonnay

Sun Chase Vineyard is a highly sought-after vineyards in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Its location 1400 feet above the valley floor places it just above the persistent fog line and allows perpetual sunshine during the day while cool evening winds from the bay permit the grapes to maintain optimal acidity. We have barrel-fermented this chardonnay for 14 months in a mix of new and once- used French oak. Natural malolactic fermentation is completed in about half of the barrels, high intensity malic acid is maintained in the other barrels. The resulting wine exhibits a light creaminess, exotic citrus and tropical fruit notes with a mildly acidic finish Cristaldi & CO Rating: 94 This is a crunchy, bright and vivid Chardonnay, with elegant lemon and lime fruit, under-ripe white peach, apricot and green apple — a sort of fruit salad, yet wonderfully vivid and refreshing. The mid-palate is rounded with good depth of apricot flavor and richly integrated cedarwood notes. The oak is never obvious; it is more structural than overt. The 2023 Lucie Chardonnay comes from Sun Chase Vineyard, Block 7 — a steep, north-west-facing site. The fruit is night-picked, whole-cluster pressed, given a two-day settle, then treated with a small sulfur adjustment before native-yeast fermentation. Some lots undergo native malolactic fermentation. Bâtonnage begins with more frequent stirring and tapers as the wines age for 15 months in roughly 40% new French oak. The wine is bottled unfiltered and unfined. Consulting Winemaker and Viticulturalist: Kirk Venge Proprietors: The Janzen Family Click here to download the 2023 Lucie Sun Chase Vineyard Chardonnay tasting notes.