2015 Saxon Brown Rosella’s Vineyard Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands

Nestled in the benchland of Monterey’s Santa Lucia Highlands, Rosella’s Vineyard was planted in 1996 by Gary Franscioni, one of the appellation’s pioneering growers. Among the most clonally diverse sites in California (seven Pinot Noir, three Chardonnay and two Syrah clones), Rosella’s is further distinguished by its cool climate terroir and impeccable farming. The site enjoys a perfect southeastern exposure, deep Arroyo Seco soils and cooling afternoon winds – called “howlers” – that literally roar through the rows each afternoon. The extra hangtime the vineyard enjoys together with the vine-by-vine farming designed to reduce yields, gives us deeply concentrated and exceptionally site expressive fruit.
We picked our Rosella’s Vineyard Chardonnay in the early morning and transferred the grapes immediately to the winery where they were whole fruit pressed.  The juice cold settled for three days at 40F before being racked to 40% new French oak barrels and inoculated with a low rate of select Burgundian yeast. After 90 days of cold fermentation, the wine continued in barrel sur lie for an additional 9 months with a delayed, 100% malolactic fermentation taking place in the spring.  The wine was bottled unfined and lightly filtered. Cellaring 5 -7 years  185 cases.