Complex, dense, yellow, floral and fruit aromas on the nose are accented by stony minerality across the mid-palate.
Flavors of peach, dried apple, nutmeg flavors are rich and bright with a touch of orange marmalade. Texturally very broad across the palate, the viscosity lingers long into the finish.
Vineyard Notes
Freedom Hill is located in the foothills of the Coast Range, 10 miles SW of Salem, Oregon. During the day, warm air rises from the valley floor ripening the skins. At night, cool ocean breezes act to retain acidity. Planted on old sedimentary soils, the Chardonnay vines have a SE exposure at an elevation of 520’to 580’. The vines were planted in 2006 and 2007 with Dijon clones 76 and 548 in well drained, sedimentary clay loam.
Production Notes
The grapes were whole cluster pressed. After settling, the juice was barrel fermented with indigenous yeasts. The wine completed malolactic fermentation naturally and was aged sur lees for 11 months entirely in used French oak barrels.
Winemaker Notes
Vintage Notes: In 2018 the weather was unusually dry, with the spring rains ending almost two months early. Bloom was mid-June in warm, dry conditions
giving excellent fruit set. Lots of clusters meant lots of thinning.
After almost 5 months of dry, warm weather, we began picking
Chardonnay on September 19th. Pinot noir from Shea came on 9/24
and we finished picking on 10/5 with the Postes Verde field at
Temperance Hill. The fruit was clean, with ripe tannins and lovely
flavors.
Food Pairing Notes
Rich white meat and vegetarian dishes with complex sauces and rich flavors
;)