Rodney Strong | 2010 Sonoma County Chardonnay

Nearly four decades ago we discovered that Sonoma County's west and southwestern regions are ideal for growing chardonnay grapes. The cool maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean brings us fog nearly every summer evening, maintaining the bright natural acidity that provides balance to any fine chardonnay. On the other hand, the warm summer afternoons here ensure plenty of ripe fruit character. We combined estate grown and locally farmed fruit grown in benchland and alluvial soils in the Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley, and Sonoma Coast appellations to make this wine.

The 2010 vintage started with a cool and fairly wet spring that remained mostly frost free. The late rains generated a healthy canopy, but one that required careful management to attain desired ripeness. The cool spring evolved into an exceptionally cool summer, punctuated by a three day heat spike in august which reduced yields in many varieties. September started out warm and ended the same way, giving us the ripeness we were waiting for, and we harvested the last of our chardonnay on October 3rd.

We barrel fermented about 60% of this wine, and sur-lies aged that portion in barrel for five months, offering the wine a touch of brown spice and vanilla. The remaining 40% was cold fermented to capture a fresh fruit-forward character, providing bright lemon and apple aromas that mingle with hints of the toasty barrel complexity. On the palate, pear and green apple with refreshing acidity will lure you back for another sip. Enjoy this lively chardonnay now and over the next couple of years.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• rodney strong
• wine
• wines
• chardonnay
• sonoma county