The 2021 Tenor Chardonnay was crafted from Conner Lee vineyard, Columbia Valley AVA, and La Reyna Blanca & Solaksen vineyards, Royal Slope AVA.
The winemaking team worked with vineyard managers to restrict yields, creating concentrated, expressive berries. Canopy management and irrigation strategies were implemented to highlight the unique aspects of the vintage. Sugars accumulated early, but cool Fall temperatures allowed for flavors to catch up as sugars plateaued. Resulting in an expressive, rich, and dynamic Chardonnay.
Five French Chardonnay clones were utilized, each imparting a unique layer to the final blend. Harvest was in the early mornings of the first week of October. At the winery, the fruit was whole cluster pressed and the bulk lees allowed to settle out overnight.
French oak barrels of varying formats were selected to create layers of complexity, new (88%) and used (12%), with fermentation taking 2-4 months. Full malolactic fermentation added weight and a luscious, creamy texture. The wine was barrel aged for 20 months and then racked off of its lees after one year. The final blend was cold stabilized in tank, and bottled unfined and unfiltered, producing only 198 cases.
