Winemakers Notes: Chardonnay is a winemakers grape. Left on it’s own it tends to be a bit one dimensional and less aromatic than some of the other white wines (think Sauvignon Blanc). This leaves a blank canvas of sorts that allows the winemaker full creative reign to build the wine, this also means Chardonnay can range from super oak and butter bombs, to the stainless, or “naked” versions that are clean and crisp. Our take on Chardonnay is a bit of a middle path. We barrel ferment and age the wine in mostly neutral barrels. This allows for a creamier texture while keeping the oak aromatics as more of a spice to the fruit rather than the dominating character. Winemaking Notes: 100% Stowe Vineyard Chardonnay. The grapes were picked in the early morning and gently whole cluster pressed off the skins. The juice was then allowed to settle for 12 hours after which it was then racked into a barrels and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation lasted about 10 days with temperatures easing up to 65F. Once fermentation was finished the wine was inoculated with Malo-Lactic bacteria and allowed to undergo secondary fermentation in the barrels. The wine was aged on the lees in a blend of French and American oak barrels for 10 months. The barrels were 2/3rds neutral and 1/3 once filled to give a slight hint of oak but not to overpower the natural tropical character of our Chardonnay. After aging the wine was racked to a tank, filtered and bottled on August 21, 2020