Description

ABOUT THE PRODUCER:
The Franscioni family is one of the most important vineyard owners in northern Monterey. Now in the hands of the fourth generation, they own 290 hectares of coolclimate, sustainably grown and California Sustainable Wine Growing Alliance certified vines. They grow primarily Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at the foot of the Gabilan Mountain Range. They sell grapes to some of the biggest names in the industry, but they retain some of the best for themselves. Their consultant winemaker is the industry pioneer and veteran, Dan Karlsen, who with over 40 harvests under his belt, has made wine at illustrious neighbours Talbott and Chalone. With a deftness of touch, he crafts true cool-climate expressions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which offer exceptional value for money.

THE VINTAGE:
The weather provided excellent conditions for the 2019 harvest in California. The summer was relatively mild and the warm, with the warm, dry weather continuing into the autumn and creating perfect conditions for harvest. Overall, yields were slightly lower than the 2018 bumper crop, but the fruit created beautifully balanced wines with bright expression.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
The fruit comes from the estate ‘Grava’ vineyard, which is one of the most northerly plantings in Monterey County. It nestles up to the Gabilan Mountain Range on the eastern side of the Salinas Valley; approximately 10 miles directly across from the Santa Lucia Highlands. The marine influence of the nearby Monterey Bay and the morning fog which clears for the afternoon sun, results in a cool mesoclimate and a long hang-time for the fruit. The grapes reflect the cool climate character, with complex aromatics and flavours and natural balancing acidity. The vineyard is cultivated sustainably and are certified by the California Sustainable Wine Growing Alliance. Vines are VSP trained and pruned to two bud spurs spaced approximately 10cm apart; the vines are shoot thinned, leaf pulled and shoots are positioned with wire moves. These methods ensure adequate sunlight for optimising fruit-forward expression in the wines.

THE WINEMAKING PROCESS:
The grapes were whole cluster pressed and racked to ferment under temperature controlled conditions. The wine spent nine months maturing in a combination of stainless steel vats to retain the pure fruit character with French oak influence to impart complexity. The wine underwent 100% malolactic conversion, resulting in a softer texture. The wine was lightly filtered prior to bottling.

OUR TASTING NOTES:
A richly textured Chardonnay, with bright notes of citrus, pear and tangerine and a touch of oak spice through to a long, elegant finish with mineral nuances.

GRAPE VARIETY:
Chardonnay 100%.