2020 Chardonnay, Martinelli Vineyard, Russian River Valley • St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

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2020

Chardonnay

Martinelli Vineyard

Russian River Valley

Tasting Notes

Aromas of Meyer Lemon and freshly cut Honeydew melon lead to delicate notes of buttery pastry in the nose. Quenching tropical fruit notes introduce a lean and refreshingly soft mouthfeel to this cool climate Chardonnay. The wine’s bright acidity and lean structure lend themselves to seafood and warm weather cuisine.

Vintage Notes

With minimal rain over the winter, the vines were awakened with moderate, springtime temperatures in early 2020. The warm, consistent conditions continued throughout the growing season, eliminating any frost threat and providing an ideal environment for the fruit set. Verasion, when the grapes begin to soften and gain color, began 7-10 days early due to the warm, dry conditions. Throughout the summer months moderate daytime temperatures, cool nights and a few short-lived heat spikes contributed to excellent flavor development. Harvest picking began in late August with much of it completed before the local fires made an impact in late fall.

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. The free-run juice was collected, 50% went into a stainless steel rotary for fermenting, rotating twice a week throughout the aging process. The other 50% was fermented in neutral barrel with no battonage. Due to its naturally high acidity, this wine was allowed to go through 100% natural malolactic completion and then aged for ten months before bottling.