2006 Fiorella Chardonnay - Russian River Valley [ $36 ]
The third vintage of Ferrari-Carano’s 2006 “Vineyard Select” Fiorella Chardonnay from Russian River Valley is a bright, crisp wine with apple, pear, melon and floral aromas. On the palate, hints of coconut mingle with creamy vanilla and toasted hazelnut. This is an elegant, well-balanced wine with a slightly creamy texture and a clean finish.
Vintage Notes
The fruit for this wine comes from a single vineyard in the Russian River Valley, an area known for producing some of the world’s best Chardonnays. A mild late spring and summer ensured that the mature vines had a healthy canopy for the grapes, which provided the perfect combination of sunlight and heat penetrating the grape clusters. These conditions allowed the grapes to reach full maturity in both flavor and structure. Harvest was completed mid-October.
Winemakers Notes
The grapes for this wine were 100% whole cluster pressed, and then cold settled for 24 hours in stainless steel tanks before moving to barrels. In order to retain the desired amount of natural acidity and still add richness to the wine, the grapes underwent only 50 percent malolactic fermentation. Aged in French oak, the wine was sur lie aged and stirred weekly for 15 months. The resulting wine has great complexity complemented by bright acidity and a rich finish.
| Appellation: |
Russian River Valley |
| Blend: |
100% Whole
Cluster Pressed Chardonnay |
| Cooperage: |
100% French Oak (
40% new Burgundian French oak,
60% older French oak) |
| Release Day: |
August 2008 |
