Cormorant 2021 Chardonnay, Zabala Vineyard, Arroyo Seco, Monterey County

Tasting notes:

This wine has structure and mouthfeel, with aromas of flowers, citrus, and melons. You will not taste big fruit flavors or buttery aromas; this is an elegant Chardonnay. The elegance comes naturally from a vineyard that is 29 years old. The sediment in the wine helps protect against oxidation and adds a round mouthfeel. If you let the sediment settle for a few days, the wine will have more fruit aromas, but the sweet baking smells will drop slightly.

Additional Info:

I fermented and aged this wine in primarily neutral French oak barrels. The native fermentation took a little longer than expected at eight months, but it ended perfectly. My winemaking is simple; bring it in, press it, put it in barrels, watch it closely and finally bottle it when it is time. Only a small amount of sulfites, 30ppm, was added to the wine. No other winemaking products, no finning, nor filtration were used to make this wine. Finding the right vineyard block was the most crucial part of this wine. I first worked with Lou Zabala's fruit in 2004. This Chardonnay grows just next to the Arroyo Seco riverbed. River-rock and sand are all these vines get in parts of this block. The lack of deep topsoil imparts a character I love in good Chardonnays.