2007 VENTANA "GOLD STRIPE" CHARDONNAY

Our “Gold Stripe” Chardonnay has lively tropical fruit aromas of pineapple and mango, with intense flavors of Gala apple, pear and lemon. Oak aging adds an accent of vanilla and light honey tones. The perfect balance of fruit, oak and acidity makes this an exceptional food friendly wine. Enchanting with Dungeness Crab or a Scallop Risotto, this Chardonnay will also pair nicely with an Apple Spiced Pork Roast.

GOLD – Taster’s Guild Intl’ Wine Competition 2009
SILVER - San Francisco Chronicle Competition 2009
SILVER – San Diego Wine Competition 2009
SILVER - Monterey Fair Wine Competition 2009
SILVER - Grand Harvest Awards 2009

The Ventana is a 400+ acre vineyard in the heart of the Arroyo Seco American Viticultural Area, Monterey County California. Pure sandy soils anchor these vines in the wind, fog, heat and rain. The vineyard’s close proximity to the Pacific Ocean allows for the fog to roll in every night over the vineyard, which prolongs the growing period. This extension of hang time helps the berries produce concentrated flavors and good acid balance.

We take the grapes from the vineyard via gondolas for immediate pressing using our Europress bladder press that allows adjustable amounts of pressure for optimum juice quality. The juice is then pumped into tank for 36 to 48 hours of settling and then the clear juice is racked for fermentation. 50% of Gold Stripe Chardonnay is barrel aged for ten months in French and Hungarian Oak for extra richness and flavor. The other 50% is stored in stainless steel tanks to retain Chardonnay’s bright fruit flavors