Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
An exemplary vintage, the 2021 Olivet Lane Unoaked Chardonnay bursts with aroma of pear, ginger, and hay straw. On the tongue, zippy lemon curd, passionfruit, and papaya highlight the grandiose mouth feel and length of finish.
Vineyard Notes
The Olivet Lane Vineyard is a heritage site, with the distinction of being among the earliest plantings of Pinot noir in the Russian River Valley. The vineyard was established in 1975 by the Pellegrini family, with 30 acres planted to heirloom clone Old Wente Chardonnay. The Olivet Lane Vineyard features an undulating benchland of well-drained, gravelly, clay loam soil. Located just east of the Laguna de Santa Rosa, the vineyard is situated in the heart of Russian River Valley Appellation. The fog that defines our growing region lingers in our low-elevation neighborhood, protecting it under a cool white blanket from evening through the morning. These long, cool nights retain natural acidity in the grapes and support the distinctive bright fruit character of the wines.
Winemaker Notes
Our Olivet Lane Unoaked Chardonnay is meant for one reason alone — to provide an unbiased demonstration of the beauty and grace of Chardonnay on this heritage vineyard. We utilize stainless steel drums rather than tanks for fermentation, allowing us to experiment with different yeasts for complexity of flavor and sur lie aging methods for enhanced texture. For all intents and purposes, this wine is made in the exact same fashion as our classic Olivet Lane Chardonnay with 2 points of variation: stainless steel barrels instead of oak, and no malolactic conversion. The ability to fully incorporate lees into the wine with a barrel stirring wand, which is not an option with tank fermentations, lends to immense texture and length in the back of the pallet, while engulfing the front and mid palate with fruit flavors.
Food Pairing Notes
Grilled trout with ginger and scallion, or salad niçoise.
