Hogue Chardonnay Reserve 06

Hogue Chardonnay Reserve 06 -

Aromas of intense pear and peach, cream, and well-integrated oak char. On the palate the wine is rich and creamy, with flavors of pear, vanilla, and smoke. On the finish are ripe pineapple and cream. This Chardonnay should pair well with richer seafood dishes such as Dungeness crab cakes or broiled king salmon.

Previous Vintage Tasting Notes

Wine Spectator rating: "spicy and round, melding harmoniously with well-integrated pear, citrus and apricot flavors, persisting nicely on the beautifully focused finish, echoing hints of cinnamon and nutmeg as the flavors linger. Drink now through 2007. 250 cases made. (HS)"

Aromas of smoke, cream, pear, tropical fruit, toasted sourdough, vanilla bean and pineapple. On the palate, this rich wine is creamy and mouth filling, with subtle guava and mango flavors followed by butter and toast.

2002 Vintage Tasting Notes

THE WINE

The Hogue winemakers only make reserve level wines from particular vineyard blocks and when the harvest produces grapes of unequaled quality and complexity. In 2002, the dry, breezy fall weather allowed the fruit to ripen to full maturity while retaining plenty of natural acidity. Because of the high acids we were able to put 100% of the wine through malolactic fermentation and still retain crisp balance. With sur lie aging, the wine developed richness and complexity. The 2002 Reserve Chardonnay has aromas of intense pear and peach, cream, and well-integrated oak char. On the palate the wine is rich and creamy, with flavors of pear, vanilla, and smoke. On the finish are ripe pineapple and cream. This Chardonnay should pair well with richer seafood dishes such as Dungeness crab cakes or broiled king salmon.

THE VINTAGE AND VINEYARDS

A normal year in terms of total heat accumulation 2002 was characterized by unseasonably hot weather in July followed by a normal August and an exceptionally dry and temperate fall. The grapes for this Chardonnay came from one of our best vineyard sources within the Yakima Valley. Sunnyside, a reliable producer of Reserve-quality fruit, is a south-facing vineyard that combines well-drained soils with older vines and enough heat to ripen Chardonnay completely. The fruit was harvested on September 16 and 17.

THE WINEMAKING

The grapes are handpicked and then whole cluster pressed to minimize extraction of bitter compounds from the skins. After gentle pressing of the grapes, the Chardonnay juice was racked into French oak barrels for primary fermentation with D254 and CY3079 yeast. All of the wine then underwent a secondary malolactic fermentation to soften the wine and add complexity. After the malolactic fermentation, the new Chardonnay rested sur lie (with regular stirring) for 14 months in mostly (73%) new French barrels. Finally, the lots were blended and bottled, then given an additional three months of aging prior to release.