Blackstone Chardonnay

The quality of the grapes from the 2005 harvest was excellent for Monterey County, especially for white wines.The cool summer pushed out the harvest, allowing the grapes to reach the ideal balance of physiological ripeness, tremendous density, and true varietal character.

Three vineyards provided the majority of the Chardonnay for the 2005 vintage—Terra Ventosa and Vina del Rey in Monterey County, near King City and Castle Coastal Vineyard in the cool Arroyo Seco region of Monterey County.The cool climate and well-drained soils of the Terra Ventosa Vineyard provide ideal conditions for growing Chardonnay. Our Vina del RayVineyard, also a relatively cool area, produces Chardonnay with ripe citrus and floral aromas while maintaining nice acidity.

After harvest, each vineyard lot was individually pressed; then 60% of the blend was cold-tank fermented to preserve the wine’s natural vibrancy.Approximately 40% was barrel fermented to add a layer of creamy complexity to the final blend.The wine was then aged in one-to-three-year-old American (90%) and French oak (10%) barrels to give the wine a nice toasty note on the finish.

The 2005 Blackstone Monterey County Chardonnay shows aromas of light tropical fruit, lemon citrus with a touch of mineral notes and pleasing oak.This bright, well-balanced wine has a long, lingering finish. A fantastic food wine, it will complement herbed-baked chicken, grilled fish entrees and light aged cheeses.