2016 Peterson Vineyard Chardonnay

The young vines of Chardonnay at John Peterson's vineyard on River Road in the Santa Lucia Highlands provided us with two barrels worth of wine in 2016.  The vintage is what we'd call a typical one for the SLH, with plenty of fog and wind throughout the growing season, but also adequate sunshine and warmth for ripeness and flavor development.  Our '16 Peterson Chard was fermented in neutral oak, and aged in those barrels for over 16 months.  It's probably the richest Chardonnay we've produced since the 2006 Rosella's.  The tropical fruit aromas of the Santa Lucia Highlands are apparent in the nose, followed by a very lush palate impression.  The best time to drink this will be from 2019 through 2022, but it could also age for several more years after 2022.

 

 

---