2014 J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay
The 2014 Riverstone Chardonnay has a youthful, brassy yellow color of medium depth. The aromas are fresh and reminiscent of ripe nectarine, apple and strawberry combined with honey, grilled hazelnuts and toasty oak from the barrel fermentation and sur lie aging. The palate weight is plump and rich, with flavors echoing the aromas with a delicate balance of acidity, buttery length and sophisticated elegance.
— Jeff Meier, winemaker
Wine Details
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Composition Blend
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100%
Chardonnay
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Origin
Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, CA
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Cellaring
Crafted to be enjoyed within three to five years of vintage.
5 Years -
Food Pairings
Excellent paired with Sicilian chicken with roasted lemons, capers and olives, moules marinières or a simple Thomas Keller roast chicken.
Vintage
The 2014 vintage was the warmest in the last seventeen years. The total growing degree days (GDD) for the season were a warm 2,774 - a mid-Region II - well above the 2,365 GDD Region I average for the Arroyo Seco AVA. This atypical growing season began with a very warm, dry spring, which initiated early bud break and flowering. Summer, however, was cool and windy, which slowed the ripening for Chardonnay and preserved the fresh acidity that is a hallmark of Arroyo Seco fruit. Harvest began about one week earlier than normal on September 17th with the harvest of Dijon clones in blocks 2 and 4 of our Greenfield home ranch and finished on October 20th. Our Riverstone Chardonnay is now comprised of nine Chardonnay clones - 4, 5, 17, 76, 95, 96, 548, 809 and Hyde-Wente - which bring a complexity of flavors, textures and acidities.
Vineyards
The vines for our J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay are grown primarily on Elder loam soils underlain by “riverstones” deposited over thousands of years by the Arroyo Seco River. These stones limit soil depth from one to four feet, although roots are found at greater depths. This unique combination of sandy loam and cobblestone soil keeps the vines’ vegetative growth and fruit in balance, while the cool climate and winds of the Salinas Valley extend the growing season - retaining the natural grape acids and intense varietal character of Chardonnay.
