2009 chardonnay

Leading with aromatics of green apple, honey- dew, custard, hay and clementine, this multi- faceted chardonnay defies traditional classification. On the palate, notes of butterscotch, kaffir lime, herbs du provence and cinnamon toast are carried on well-structured acidity.

The grapes were whole cluster pressed direct to tank for overnight settling. Bien Nacido Vineyard was racked to barrel for fermentation while Solomon Hills Vineyard was stainless steel fermented. After 4 months, both lots were blended to tank and aged an additional 4 months.

$28 - buy online

Alta Maria 2009 Chardonnay fact sheet

From Antonio Galloni of Wine Advocate (Aug 2011):

“The 2009 Chardonnay shows lovely balance in its bright citrus fruit and sweet spices. This is a relatively tight, focused style of Chardonnay that impresses for its energy, focus and overall sense of harmony. The fruit was sourced from the Bien Nacido and Solomon Hills vineyards. The wine was aged on its lees in roughly equal parts oak and steel, with 50% of malolactic fermentation. It is a terrific value in California Chardonnay. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014.

These are two gorgeous wines from Alta Maria Vineyards, a project headed by James Ontiveros and Paul Wilkins.”

91 points

From Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast (Sep 2011):

90 points