2006 J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Vineyard Chardonnay

VINTAGE

The 2006 vintage in the Arroyo Seco region of Monterey County showed a return to near-normal rainfall of eleven inches, with cool, windy, Salinas valley weather throughout the growing season. Coming on the heels of the abundant 2005 crop, the 2006 Chardonnay crop was lighter than average, and produced intensely-flavored fruit. The ideal growing conditions promoted a slow and even flavor development with excellent natural grape acid retention in the 2006 Arroyo Vista Chardonnay. Harvest began October 17th with near-perfect flavor development at 24.8º Brix, and acidity at 8.5 grams per liter.

VINEYARDS

The Arroyo Vista Vineyard lies in the heart of the windswept and cool Arroyo Seco AVA of Monterey County. Loamy sand and gravelly loam soils of the Elder series are intermixed and underlain by "Greenfield potatoes" - stones that resemble potatoes in size and appearance and which absorb heat during the day and radiate their heat after sunset. This underlayment of stone effectively limits root growth to the top three to five feet of soil, harmoniously balancing the fruit and shoot growth of our richly flavored Clone 5 Chardonnay on 5BB rootstock.

Technical Data

Origin: Arroyo Vista Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Harvest Dates: October 17th, 2006
Process: Night harvested, vineyard pressed (to 0.8 bars) and settled
Harvest Chemistries: 24.8° Brix average, pH=3.34, Total Acidity 8.52 g/Liter

Vinification;
Yeast:M2, Uninoculated (Wild Yeast) and M69
Fermentation: In barrel for an average of 15 days
Malo-Lactic: Inoculated each barrel with MCW strain of malolactic bacteria on November 2, 2006. Completed malolactic fermentation in January 2006.
Stirring: Weekly stirring of each barrel, starting November 2nd 2006 until April 2007 (during malolactic fermentation and five months post).
Post-Stirring: Monthly topping up of barrels and free sulfur dioxide and oxygen monitoring.
Maturation: Aged in barrel "sur lie" in 45%p new Francois Frères French "Troncais" oak.