Appearance pale straw
Aromas lime, green apple, honeycomb, seashells
Palate tart apple, salted caramel, vibrant acidity, long lingering finish
Food Pairing Suggestions
Pair this cool climate Chardonnay with silky textures, such as risotto, pastas and creamy soups. Try it with baked meaty fish such as cod or seafood including shrimp and scallops. Simply seasoned pork and poultry dishes will also match beautifully.
Production
195 cases
Alcohol
13.6%
Aging Potential
This wine will age gracefully through 2032
Accolades
94 points – Wine Enthusiast
93 points – Wine & Spirits
93 points – Jeb Dunnuck
92 points – Vinous
Vineyard
Red Car Estate Vineyard
About The Vineyard
The continued success of the Chardonnay vines on this property translate to the huge demand for this elegant cool-climate wine.
Steady weather conditions in Fort Ross-Seaview in 2018 allowed Red Car to capture the full potential of this site by crafting a Chardonnay that displays bright and racy acidity, expressive floral aromatics, and elegant citrus fruit.
The Estate Chardonnay was harvested from vines planted in fractured marine sandstone, weathered over millions of years from an uplifted seabed known as the Ohlson Ranch Formation. This soil offers the same viticultural advantages as the often referenced Goldridge series found in the lower West Sonoma Coast elevations around Sebastopol, yet differs by including less clay and more stone than sand in its composition.
The estate vineyard is planted to an Old Wente clone that was selected over the course of decades by Larry Hyde specifically for the small size of its clusters and mineral flavor profile. These differences are revealed in this distinctly unique and terroir-driven Chardonnay.
Winemaker Notes
Aged 10 month in 13% New, 87% Neutral Oak
