Jeriko Chardonnay 2005

This Chardonnay was organically grown, and most of it was fermented in stainless steel. But then winemaker Jeff Cichocki took a left at the light and went in a different direction, barrel-fermenting the other 20 percent of the fruit and putting the whole wine through malolactic fermentation. Obviously he wanted to produce a Chardonnay that is mostly crisp but with some richness, and I think he hit it. (If you like higher pH and alcohol, get the Jeriko Reserve Chard.) In my blind tasting, I found the aromas seamless - there were several different tropical and citrus fruits plus very ripe honeydew read more...melon, yet it was all one scent experience. The flavors were totally true to the aromas, making the wine a delicious sipper if that’s all you want. It’s also a well-textured and well-balanced food wine, however, that warms up in your mouth without verging into heat. Best of all, that sweet honeydew flavor continues all through, giving the wine a sustained fruit signature that augurs well for aging if you put this down for a year or so.    (hide)

This wine came from an unusual combination: Dijon clone 76 (a small-berry strain of Chardonnay developed in France), Daniel Fetzer’s certified organic vineyard, and winemaker Jeff Cichocki’s unabashed affection for the whole buttery-oaky Chardonnay thing. Normally I don’t go in for the third item that much, but I could not deny this wine when I had it in my mouth. It made me feel rich to sip it, and it made me feel virtuous to take off the wrapper and find out about the organic angle. As to clone 76, the small cluster and small berries increase the ratio of skins to juice, which is what you want read more...when you’re going to barrel-ferment in new oak. When the tasting flight was poured out, I could smell this wine from across the table - <i>and I say that as praise </i>. There was green apple, ripe pear and clover honey, plus all the buttery oak you could ask for. The wine is rich and viscous in your mouth, yet still very well knit. Despite the opulent, mouth-filling quality, it’s sweet without cloying and big without clomping around. Acid is on the light side, so don’t drink this for refreshment or to wash down appetizers: it’s a cocktail worth sipping on its own.    (hide)

Deliciously begins with vanilla, toasted pine nut, apricot & ripe pear followed by a buttery-rich component balanced by a hint of acid.

Intense lemon & tropical fruits dominate the nose, balanced by pear & peach flavors, followed by similar lifted perfumed aromas.

Nice organic chardonnay, made without oak but with creaminess coming from the malolactic fermentation. Bright straw in color. Aromas of pear, apple, and hay. Flavors are in the apples and cream spectrum, turning faintly buttery on the finish. Nicely made, simple unoaked chardonnay.

May 2008

Winemaker's Notes: This rich yet refreshingly crisp Chardonnay is completed by a long, creamy and complex finish. The moderate palate weight, when coupled with an intense mouth-feel, creates a perfectly food-friendly Chardonnay. Aromas: Intense lemon and tropical fruits dominate the nose but hint at the softness imparted from partial malolactic fermentation. Flavors: A burst of crisp acidity is balanced by pear and peach flavors, followed by similar lifted, perfumed aromas. Finish:A long and intense finish of crisp fruit is beautifully balanced by creamy developed notes. Pair read more...With:Roasted poultry with herbs, plain shellfish, mildly spiced fusion dishes or a medium-flavored herbed goat cheese.Jeriko Estate produces hand-crafted artisan wines from 100% organically grown and certified grapes from our vineyard in beautiful southern Mendocino county - which means no chemically synthesized fertilizers or pesticides! Established in 1997, our vintner Danny Fetzer brought modern agricultural techniques and family winemaking heritage to Jeriko Estate to create stunning wines that showcase the terroir and quality of the fruit grown on the Estate. Today, Jeriko is proud to be a family-owned boutique winery that creates award-winning wines of exceptional quality. Practicing a tread-gently-upon-the-earth philosophy, we use the latest in winegrowing technology while respecting ancient agricultural practices.    (hide)

November 2008