2015 Peterson Vineyard Chardonnay

John Peterson bought his River Road property in 2009 when it was 100% Pinot Noir.  He decided to plant a small block of Chardonnay at the southwest corner of the property in 2012.  We got our first harvest in 2015.  Because of the drought conditions and the young age of the vines, it was a very small crop, and we made just about one half ton of Chardonnay.

 

August West has a lot of experience making Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands, dating back to 2005 when we produced our first Rosella's.  Peterson is just 1/4 of a mile south of Rosella's, and the flavors of this 2015 Peterson Chardonnay are very typical of the region.  There's a subtle nose of tropical fruit, followed by a medium-bodied palate with very high acidity.  Since the vines are still young, we expect this Chardonnay to drink well on the earlier side, from 2017 through 2020.

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