Out of stock
Out of stock
100% Chardonnay, Clone 124
The Sunchase Vineyard is perched high above the fog at an elevation between 900-1,400′, where the Petaluma Wind Gap collides with Sonoma Mountain. The cool ocean breezes and moderate sunshine paired with rocky clay soil consistently produces distinguishes Chardonnay.
Harvested in early-September from vineyards overlooking the Petaluma Gap, the fruit was picked at optimal development. After hand sorting the grapes three times, the grapes were pressed whole cluster, and was then racked to tank and allowed to cold settle for 24 hours. Following a slow and cool primary fermentation, the chardonnay was then prevented from going through Malolactic fermentation. The lees were stirred regularly and frequently, giving mouth feel and texture to the wine. Prior to bottling the wine was lightly fined and allowed to rest in tank. It represents a pure expression of the vineyard and is beautiful and lush.
Aging: 10 months in stainless steel
Renowned Winemaker Tom Rinaldi will join us for SIP Virtual Wine Tasting & Education on September 30th to discuss Pellet Estate portfolio and his 40+ year winemaking career.
Raised in San Francisco, Tom made frequent trips to Napa on his motorcycle, buying wines directly from the wineries of the day. After four years in the Navy, Tom enrolled at UC Davis along with notable classmates Mike Martini, Tim Mondavi, Randy Dunn, and Bob Levy.Tom’s career began at Freemark Abbey, an experience he calls “a great job, and a great honor.” In 1978, Tom became the founding winemaker at Duckhorn Vineyards. After 22 vintages of creating some of Napa’s most celebrated wines, Tom continued to build many wineries from the ground up, notably Pellet Estate, Provenance Vineyards and Hewitt . Tom’s 2010 Hewitt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was named to the Wine Spectator’s Top 10 in the world for 2013, and the #1 Wine in California. Rinaldi’s 45+ years of Napa Valley wine experience enables him to produce wines that showcase his masterful blend of traditional French techniques with ultra-high premium fruit.
Tom leads all winemaking strategies and cellar responsibilities, vineyard selections and crop management, and masterfully assembles all final blends – bringing his art, science, and nature together in harmony and balance.
Always the avid learner, Tom loves everything from anticipating the vineyards’ seasons to experimenting with new methodologies and technologies, always open to innovative practices alongside traditional methods. Tom resides with his wife and daughter in St. Helena, where you will either find him in the vineyard, the cellar, or riding his bike throughout the Napa Valley.
