2019 Chardonnay, Martinelli Vineyard • St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

BACK

2019

Chardonnay

Martinelli Vineyard

Russian River Valley

Tasting Notes

This medium to full-bodied Chardonnay leads with fragrant notes of Bartlet pear and golden straw. Succulent tropical elements of pineapple and kiwi blend with a creamy lemon custard in the middle palate. The wine finishes cleanly with a tart green apple snap.

Vintage Notes

We began our 2019 harvest before dawn on August 30. After a growing season that started in winter with record rainfall, the year ended with warm, even temperatures throughout summer. With few spikes in heat over the period, our vineyards had optimal conditions to develop full-flavored fruit with remarkable color and balanced acidity. Spring rains ended in time for good fruit set. The temperate summer allowed for long hang times and consistent, even ripening. We picked the majority of our fruit in September and the weather continued to cooperate. Warm breezy days, but fortunately no rain took place in October and the last of the grapes were harvested before the end of the month.

Vineyard Notes

The cool, foggy climate of the beautiful Russian River Valley is ideal for Chardonnay grapes. Located in the heart of this famed, grape-growing region is the Martinelli Vineyard. The Martinelli family has grown grapes here since the 1880s and their fruit is recognized for its high quality and rich, expressive flavors.

Winemaker Notes

Picked at dawn, these grapes arrived at the winery while still cold and were carefully placed directly into our small bladder press. Free-run juice was collected and half was sent to a stainless steel rotary tank for cold soaking before a slow, cool fermentation while the remainder was barrel fermented, creating a creamy mouthfeel. To highlight the wine’s clean, crisp texture and bright aromatics, we prevented malolactic fermentation and aged the wine for five months before bottling.