2023 Robert Foley Chardonnay Napa Valley

WSI93+ The celebrated white grape variety of France’s Chablis, Burgundy and Macon regions is widely grown in the New World where it has often been associated with winemakers’ heavy-handed use of oak.In celebration of this superb grape variety, our Oak Knoll District Chardonnay sees no oak at all in order to display the true varietal definition. Following night-time harvest, the cool fruit is whole-cluster pressed to minimize maceration of the skins and delicately yield fresh juice which is then cold-settled and fermented in stainless steel at lower temperatures.This prevents the malo-lactic fermentation and helps preserve the natural acid profile. Aging on the yeast lees for 6 months contributes a creaminess to the mid-palate, which balances beautifully with the delightful fruitiness, healthy integrated natural acidity and long lingering finish.
Aging: 95% Stainless, 5% French Oak – 451 cases produced