2019 J. Lohr October Night Chardonnay
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Wine Enthusiast, October 2021
This unique Chardonnay blend provides balanced and complex flavors of ripe orange, orange marmalade, and white peaches, with a rich midpalate and a hint of toasted oak on the long finish.
— Kristen Barnhisel, winemaker, white wine
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 2024.
5 Years -
Food Pairings
A perfect pairing to crab cakes with a creamy orange reduction sauce, toasted hazelnut halibut, or seafood risotto.
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Vinification
Fermentation: Inoculated with the SB3 strain of malolactic bacteria
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, which provides a slightly more wind-protected environment. 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 “Greenfield potatoes,” stones that resemble potatoes in size and appearance; they absorb heat during the day and radiate their heat after sunset, enhancing floral character and richness.
Vintage
The 2019 vintage in the Arroyo Seco appellation was very similar to that of 2018, and was characterized by cool weather with foggy mornings through spring and summer. September began with some warmer weather to fully ripen the Chardonnay and, along with our typical winds, extended the growing season by three weeks. Each year, we fine- tune the irrigation decisions during the growing season to optimize the fruit potential. Moving to more “rainfall-like” infrequent irrigation events in the spring, followed by “dry down” periods, helped increase aroma intensity and concentration of flavors. Our 2019 harvest of Clone 809 Chardonnay (the backbone of October Night) occurred the evening of October 29.
