91 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Gold Medal - SF International Wine Competition
The Schug Estate vineyard, planted in 1989, sits at the base of a high ridge at the windy Western edge of the Carneros AVA in Sonoma County. This bottling highlights several clones of Chardonnay grown on individual blocks. The Wente clone grown on Northeast-facing Blocks 3 and 5 has a smaller berry which gives the wine a rich texture when young, and in time develops an oily, succulent mouthfeel. An addition of "Musqué" clone Chardonnay grown on our rocky Southeast-facing Block 7 gives the wine a rich aroma and flavor of ripe citrus. Each block is harvested, fermented and aged separately. The final blend offers intense fruit aromas of ripe pear and orange liqueur, complemented by a layer of toasty oak. Bright apple and citrus flavors give way to a full-bodied texture and a long finish. Try with shellfish, cream soups, chicken, veal, or rich pasta dishes. It will gain complexity with additional cellaring for several years after release.
BLEND: (clones): 100% Schug Estate: 52% Block 5 (G9V5 Wente);18% Block 7 (41 & 77 Musqué clones); 17% Block 2 (clone C); 7% Block 3 (F1V3 Wente); 6% Block 1 (clone 17)
APPELLATION: Carneros
HARVEST DATES: September 4th through September 12th, 2014
SUGAR AT HARVEST: 24.4 degrees Brix average
FERMENTATION: 100% barrel fermented and aged “sur lie” for 7 months.
20% of the barrels underwent malo-lactic fermentation.
AGING COOPERAGE: 22% in new French oak, 78% in 2nd & 3rd fill barrels
ALCOHOL: 14.1% by volume
ACIDITY: TA = 0.62 g/100ml; pH = 3.52
PRODUCTION: 286 cases (12 x 750ml)
RELEASE DATE: January 1st, 2016
WINERY RETAIL: $45 per 750ml bottle
You may also like:
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Dark fruit aromas of black raspberry, blackberry and black cherry steer the aromatics backed by baking spices, anise and lavender. A touch of Syrah to add tannin and depth. On the palate, black cherry and blackberry preserve shine through rounded out by herbs de Provence, dark chocolate and vanilla. A gorgeous expressive wine!
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Polished and elegantly layered Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah offers red plum and black cherry, with hints of cigar box, forest floor, bay, baking spices, light pepper and vanilla on the nose. Expressive black raspberry, sassafras and smoky pepper flavors that linger with salted dark chocolate, red plum, cherry with notes of pepper on the palate.
PDF