2010 Foley Chardonnay Wine, Sta. Rita Hills Courtney's Vineyard

This is a bold Chardonnay with emphatic aromas of lemon and green apple followed by a hint of butterscotch. The lively acidity helps accentuate the inherent minerality we find in all of our white wines. The combination of structure and concentration ensures this Chardonnay will stand up to a wide array of dishes. While drinking beautifully now, it should evolve and improve over the next 5-10 years.

Serene. That's the best descriptor for the Courtney's estate vineyard. Located in the Santa Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County, this stunning, south-facing hillside features vines that climb from 500 to 1,000 feet above sea level. e soils are marine-based and the weather is consistently cool thanks to moist ocean breezes that sweep the property daily. The vineyard is farmed with the painstaking care and attention usually associated with much smaller properties. In fact, Courtney's Vineyard was originally conceived as a series of individual micro-vineyards delineated by soil, exposure, elevation, grade, rootstock and clone. A cool, damp early spring delayed the beginning of the growing season. Late spring and summer temperatures were also below normal, further slowing vine development. Two autumn heat spells were followed by inopportune rains. Fortunately, we were able to harvest all of our blocks between October 15th and November 15th with little impact from the weather. Overall the vintage yielded wines with great flavor and acidity.

After harvest, the grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed and transferred to tank. After a day of cold-settling, the juice was inoculated and racked to French oak barrels where it underwent regular stirring of the lees for added texture and complexity. All lots were kept separate throughout vinification and aging to ensure character, distinctiveness and quality. After 18 months in wood under cool cellar conditions, the wine was bottled.

3939 cases produced