2007 J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay

The vintage of 2007 saw very cool temperatures during flowering, resulting in a phenomenon called “hens and chicks” in our Chardonnay.  This is a cluster with normal size berries, or “hens”-- mixed with tiny (seedless or unfertilized) berries – “chicks.”  Although the clusters weigh less, the flavors are intensified in the tiny berries.  And with very little rain in 2007 and very mild weather throughout the vintage, this combination of environmental factors produced some truly excellent Chardonnay, rich in texture and full of stone fruit flavors.  As in 2006, we made a conscious decision to pick all of our Chardonnay fruit at riper levels, especially the French clones 76, 95 and 96, to further enrich the flavor of Riverstone Chardonnay.  In 2007, that meant waiting until September 26th for the first pick of our French clone Chardonnay in Blocks 2 and 4 at 25.4° Brix, and concluding harvest on October 17th with the final pick of California clone Chardonnay at 25.5° Brix. 

Chardonnay

The 2007 vintage marks the twenty-first year of production of our Riverstone Chardonnay, from our vineyards in the Arroyo Seco region of Monterey County. Each year starting in 1995, we have experimented with and have incorporated higher percentages of traditional Burgundian production techniques into Riverstone, until the desired complexity and end-results were achieved (reaching 60% in 2000).  The result is a complex and nuanced Chardonnay with an abundance of Arroyo Seco fruit, with subtle barrel fermentation and malolactic character.  The vines are grown primarily on Elder loam soils underlain by "riverstones" deposited over thousands of years from the Arroyo Seco River, allowing a four-foot rooting zone that keeps the vines’ vegetative growth and fruit in balance. Additionally, the cool climate and winds of the Salinas Valley extend the growing season and retain the natural grape acids and intense varietal character of the Chardonnay.

Origin: Riverstone, Arroyo Seco AVA
Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Harvest Dates: September 26th to October 17th, 2007
Brix at Harvest: 25.7° average
Total Acidity: 0.69 g/100 ml
pH at Bottling: 3.60
Alcohol: 13.87% by volume
Vinification: 100% barrel fermented in combination of French and American oak at 55 to 65°F Malolactic fermentation in barrel of 60% of Chardonnay
Maturation: 9 months in combined French and American oak barrels ranging from new to third fill.

Winemaker's Comments

The 2007 J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay has a very attractive straw yellow color of moderate depth.  The aromas are of lime zest, pear, nectarine and bubble gum--combined with the perfumed honey and toasty vanilla oak bouquet from the barrel fermentation, malolactic fermentation and sur lie aging--creating an elegant Chardonnay from Monterey’s Arroyo Seco AVA. The flavors are very clean, with nectarine, citrus, subtle floral notes and vanilla toastiness, producing layers of complexity with an excellent balance of fresh fruit acidity and palate weight. This wine is ideal for pairing with oven-roasted chicken, Dungeness crab or cream-sauced pasta dishes.

Jeff Meier, winemaker