Donnachadh Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills 2019 750 ML

Donnachadh (DON-nuh-kuh) is an organically farmed vineyard in the heart of the Santa Rita Hills AVA. The property was planted in 2013, the culmination of a dream for owners Drew and Laurie Duncan. Chardonnay is planted in two distinct zones allowing a complex blend of grapes uncommon for a single vineyard. In this wine, Wente and Clone 76 fruit is from a flat terrace in the Santa Ynez River valley with fine sandy loam soil overlying coarse river gravel. Clone 4 grapes are from the top of the windy hillside block where vines struggle to thrive in thin, rocky soil over marine bedrock. Grapes were picked by hand at ripeness levels chosen to provide bright acidity and fruit flavors. At the winery, each batch of whole cluster grapes was pressed after light food treading while still cool. This Chardonnay fermented naturally in french oak barrels, and then aged on lees for 11 months before bottling. Additional warm spice notes come from 25% new oak barrels.