Turning Leaf Vineyards Chardonnay Central Coast 2006

Winemaker's Notes:

Tasting Notes: Smooth. Enticing. Turning Leaf Chardonnay is delectably smooth and full of flavor. Expect the fragrance of juicy apples and pears, layered with the creaminess of vanilla and buttery caramel. Savor Turning Leaf Chardonnay with a wild greens salad topped with sliced pear and slivers of Parmesan cheese for an especially divine moment. In spite of the challenges, the 2006 harvest arrived at the winery brimming with flavor and character, a credit to the experience of the winemaking staff. To preserve as much of the quality as possible, the grapes were read more... loaded into a membrane press, which extracts the juice as gently as possible, minimizing abrasion or damage to the fruit. Such a technique also prevents excessive infusion of bitter tannins from skin, seeds or stems. The press juice was then allowed to cold settle and clarify before undergoing extended cold fermentation, a process that brings to the finished wine delicate nuances of flavor and freshness. The 2006 growing season proved to be something of a challenge for winemakers. Record temperatures throughout much of the summer months meant that the crop had to be thinned and closely monitored. When exposed to long periods of warm weather either one of two possible events occurs in premium wine grapes. Their metabolism goes into overdrive and they mature too quickly—without developing richness of character—or they become heat stressed and shutdown all together, forsaking flavor fullness for self-preservation. The key lies in finding an irrigation strategy that helps them navigate a path somewhere in-between, and of course, praying for thermometer readings to head south again.