Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
The 2020 Olivet Lane Late Harvest Chardonnay elegantly tiptoes along the line of sweet and savory. Toasted pecans, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorn line the nose, complimented by candied lemon peel, dried fig, poached golden beets, and nutmeg on the pallet.
Vineyard Notes
The Olivet Lane Vineyard, named for the mature olive trees lining the entrance, has been faithfully tended by the Pellegrini family for over 40 years. This prime Russian River Valley property is now expertly managed by 4th generation, Alexia Pellegrini. Originally an apple and plum orchard, the 70-acre property on West Olivet Road in Santa Rosa was purchased by the Pellegrini family in 1973. This prime Russian River Valley property was converted to a vineyard in 1975 with the planting of Pinot noir and Chardonnay.
One third of the vineyard’s 58 planted acres are dedicated to the Wente selection of Chardonnay. The Olivet Lane Vineyard is situated in the heart of the Russian River Valley’s low-lying Laguna de Santa Rosa Plain region, distinguished by the maritime fog influence sweeping up from the Pacific through the Petaluma Gap to the South. The cool climate extends the growing season, creating the opportunity for the grapes to ripen slowly and reach their full flavor potential while retaining their natural acidity, producing wines that are elegant and age-worthy.
Winemaker Notes
Select Chardonnay clusters were hand-harvested by daylight, to aid in our selection of only the ripest choice clusters. Upon arriving at the winery, grapes were foot treaded in bin and left overnight to assist in maceration and plumping of raisins before basket pressing. Press pan sugar sample weighed in around 34 Brix. Juice was left to settle, before being barreled down for fermentation. When sugar levels were optimum, the fermentation was stopped by racking the ferment into tank and chilling to ~30 degrees, allowing us to use very little sulfur in preventing spontaneous fermentation. Through the aging process, barrels were topped only quarterly, in order to encourage controlled oxidation to complement the complexity of the botrytis.
Food Pairing Notes
Pistachio croissant, or Semolina and almond cake with blood orange glaze