Our 2023 Estate Chardonnay begins with aromas of white flowers, passion fruit, Meyer lemon, honeysuckle, and Stuhlmuller Vineyard's signature wet stone minerality. On the palate, it is lushly textured with flavors of Asian pear, lemon custard, and brown baking spices. This elegant, medium bodied Chardonnay has a palate supported by bright, food-friendly natural acidity and lovely textural notes from the French oak and sur lie aging.
The famous Upper Barn clone, one of California’s most sought-after Chardonnay selections, comprises 80% of the grapes that went into the 2023 Estate Chardonnay blend. The balance is from the Wente/FPS 72 clone. From the Upper Barn clone, this wine derives flavors of Asian pear, spice, and a natural nuttiness, while the small clusters and berries of the Wente clone contribute rich tropical aromas and concentrated flavors.
For complexity and texture, we treaded roughly one third of the fruit, leaving it in bins for three hours of skin contact before pressing. To accentuate the signature fruit and natural nuttiness of our Estate grapes, we also fermented this wine with 100% indigenous yeast. Fermentation and aging occurred in French oak barrels with 6% new oak as well as large 905-gallon French oak casks. The wine was on fine fermentation lees for 9 months and underwent 85% indigenous malolactic fermentation, before being racked to tank, filtered, and bottled un-fined.
