Napa Valley | 2019 Chardonnay
Napa Valley
Out Of Stock
Our 2019 Chardonnay wants to take you on a tropical vacation as it introduces itself in a flourish of pineapple, banana and jasmine aromas. Layered with brown butter, vanilla and citrus zest, the ripe apple flavors are elegantly laced with both mineral and nutmeg oak highlights. Finishing brightly with a bit of barrel fermented creaminess, you will find this wine pairs easily with any meal. A beautiful coconut curry dish with the freshest seafood always accents the rich texture in this wine perfectly.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2019
Varietal
Chardonnay
Acid
0.55g/100mls
pH
3.57
Aging
8.5 months, French, Hungarian & American Oak (30% new)
Fermentation
42% Malolactic
Bottling Date
May 2018
Alcohol %
14.4
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
Grown predominately in the Oak Knoll AVA, our two estate vineyards provide a stylistic tropical flair to our Chardonnay. Our Oak Knoll ranch was originally planted with both Wente and Dijon clones; however our newer planting at both vineyards comprise both field selections, Robert Young and Clone 4. Fluffy bale loam soils dominate while our Trubody estate has heavier soils which we balance by utilizing no-till cultivation and deficit irrigation. Both vineyards sit at the edge of the fog intrusion zone and benefit from the cooling breezes during the harvest season. Partial malolactic fermentation provides texture to our wine while still allowing the natural acidity to shine.
Production Notes
2018 was one for the record books! The New Year found our back parking lot flooded, not once but twice. Our annual rainfall for the year was nearly double in the end. Late January chill pushed the vines to a normal schedule with budbreak, bloom & veraison. Our summer months were HOT and dried up the soil moisture quickly. We thought the solar eclipse on 8/21 would make a fortuitous start to the harvest, but the grapes weren’t quite ready. We began our 40th vintage celebrating our history of winemaking here at Markham Vineyards. The perfect fall weather and amazing fruit quality made for deliciously powerful wines. When all but just a few tons were left to pick, a cataclysmic October wildfire brought the entire Napa Valley to a standstill. We watched and waited with heavy hearts, fingers crossed for our family and friends in harm’s way. Thankfully our family and winery was spared and we bonded together as a community to finish stronger than ever.