1828 Summer Breeze

Origin: Napa Valley
Release date: August 1st, 2009
Harvest Dates: September, 2007
Barrel Aging: 85% in French Oak barrel and the balance in Stainless Steel tank
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Alcohol: 14.5%

Tasting Notes

This fuller bodied wine exhibits vibrant citrus blossom, ripe apple, sweet melon and white peach aromas, with subtle butter-cream and toasty oak scents adding complexity. There is a natural bright acidity that provides a structure to the fruit and a greenish hue, and the bouquet is reticent, offering up notes of minerals and citrus oil. This is reminiscent of Chablis, boasting the purity and harmony emblematic of a great white wine. Delightful now, but will age gracefully in bottle for another 3 to 5 years.

VINEYARD

The grapes are primarily from the cooler southern precincts of the valley which stretch from the fog-chilled Carneros district to relatively warmer sites just north of the town of Napa. Blending fruit from diverse microclimates and soils allows the wine to display a rich, ripe, elegantly structured Chardonnay that’s delicious on release, but also ages well in bottle. To enhance the wine’s freshness, most of the grapes are picked at night, ensuring pristine condition.

VINTAGE

After the long, cool growing seasons of 2005 and 2006, 2007 brought a change of pace. Winter and spring were unusually dry with above-average temperatures, which accelerated bud break and bloom. Summer was mild, with few hot days, helping our Napa Valley Chardonnay grapes ripen slowly and evenly. Culminating these near-perfect conditions, the 2007 harvest began early and fast-paced, with the fruit harvested during September with a sublime balance of ripe fruit and vibrant acidity.