2006 CHARDONNAY
Napa Valley
THE BLEND 100% Chardonnay
PRODUCTION 10,030 cases
RELEASE DATE November 2007
STATS
Harvested ~ September 11 - October 2. 23.4° brix at harvest. 13.4% alcohol. 6.5 gr/1 total acidity. 3.35 pH
WINEMAKING
100% whole cluster press. Natural malolactic completed in barrel and tank. 22% stainless steel fermented and aged. 78% barrel fermented and aged sur lie 9 months in French oak
A BRIEF HISTORY
A favorite verse in the Tao offers: “We shape
clay into a pot but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever
we want. We hammer wood for a house but it is the inner space
that makes it livable. We work with being but non-being is what
we use.”
It is this essential “non-being” that defines our
approach to Chardonnay. As winemakers, we recognize our greatest
contribution is to impose less of ourselves upon the wine, allowing
the Chardonnay its own light, energy, freshness and honesty.
Instead of hammering more wood onto the house, we favor restraint
and modesty in our winemaking.
We are fond of saying that there is nothing more overrated in
Chardonnay than “fruit” and nothing more underrated
than “earth.” With this goal in mind we selected
the Carneros district of the Napa Valley as the primary home
for this wine back in 1982. Pure flavors and a clean mouth-feel
make this wine ultimately refined, elegant and the ideal complement
to a variety of cuisine.
ABOUT THE WINE
The 2006 Frog’s Leap Chardonnay greets you with aromas of green apple and pear layered with delicate notes of honeysuckle. No heavy vanilla or buttery flavors here — rather your palette is greeted with clean, lively flavors of apricot and citrus laced with wet-stone and hazelnut. Balanced by the wine’s acid and low alcohol, the mouth-feel stays bright and clear. Crisp and vibrant, this Chardonnay’s elegant finish begs for another sip — making it a delightfully unexpected food-friendly wine.
WINEMAKERS
John Williams and Paula Moschetti |
