Spindrift Cellars Chardonnay 06

Spindrift Cellars Chardonnay 2006 has pale golden color with fresh pear and melon aromas. Fruit flavors with white peach, pear and stone on the palate with a hint of toasty oak on the finish. Balanced tannins give this wine a fresh nose, full mouth feel, and a smooth finish. Spindrift Cellars Chardonnay expresses the true structure of a well balanced cool climate Chardonnay that pairs wonderfully with food.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine 88 points:

This elegant blend of stainless- and barrel-aged lots captures the fresh fruit flavors of red apples, kiwi and lime, letting just a hint of barrel toast creep into the finish. Balanced tannins give this wine a fresh nose, full mouth feel, and a smooth finish. Spindrift Cellars Chardonnay expresses the true structure of a well balanced cool climate Chardonnay that pairs wonderfully with food.

Vineyards: 100% Woodhall III Vineyard Alpine, Oregon

Clones: 1/3 DJN 76, 1/3 108 and 1/3 of 10 different Clonal mix

Growing Season: Growing Season: Bud break in late April during normal cool wet Willamette Valley spring. The rain showers held in until mid June which help keep the soils full of moisture to feed the vines for the summer growing season. Bloom started mid June with ample sunshine and warm temperatures that gave high even fruit set.

Record setting early summer temperatures set the vines into early ripening mode, then cooling in the fall before harvest allowed for slowing of fruit ripening for the bountiful crop in 2006. Harvest commenced in the first week of October to fully ripe Fruit rich with sugar, acid and flavors.

Winemaking: 100% whole cluster pressed then produced with natural and cultured yeast fermentation in Tank (2/3) and New French oak barrels (1/3). The wine fermented completely in tank and oak barrels then allowed to go through a partial Malolactic fermentation to retain the pear flavor. The wine was aged for 5 months with lees stirring before being filtered and bottled.