2018 J. Lohr October Night Chardonnay
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Wine Enthusiast, November 2020
This special Chardonnay displays exotic floral aromas of gardenia, yellow rose, orange marmalade, honeysuckle, and baking spices. Traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques, including weekly stirring of the lees in French oak barrels, were used to complement the Musqué clone’s distinctive floral aromatics.
— Kristen Barnhisel, winemaker, white wines
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
Best enjoyed now through 2022.
4 Years -
Food Pairings
Pairs with eggs benedict, crab cakes with a creamy orange reduction sauce, cedar plank salmon, or almond-crusted halibut.
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Vinification
Fermentation: Inoculated with the SB3 strain of malolactic bacteria one day after yeast was added
Barrel Type: French oak - 40% new wood
The Musqué clone, harvested in a single October night, is the backbone of this aromatic, distinctive Monterey Chardonnay wine.
Vineyards
The vineyards for the October Night Chardonnay lie in J. Lohr’s Block 9 plantings in the Arroyo Seco AVA of Monterey County, near the mouth of the Arroyo Seco River. This location provides the vines a slightly more wind-protected area. Comprised largely of Dijon Clone 809 Chardonnay - known in some circles as the Musqué Clone - these vines produce a very distinctive and attractive floral character. The soil is laden throughout its loamy profile with “Green field potatoes,” river stones that resemble potatoes in size and appearance. These stones absorb heat during the day and radiate that heat after sunset, enhancing floral character and richness.
Vintage
The 2018 vintage in the Arroyo Seco was characterized by cool spring and summer weather with foggy mornings. Traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques, including weekly stirring of the lees in French oak barrels, were used to complement the Musqué clone’s distinctive floral aromatics. Our 2018 harvest of Clone 809 Chardonnay occurred in the evening on October 25th at 25.5° Brix.
