Chardonnay ‘Shale and Stone’

Chardonnay is a grape that is too often confined to one of two narratives, especially in Napa: either the wine is an oak- and butter-laced fruit bomb, or it is a lifeless, neutral white that leaves one clueless as to why there is so much hype around the variety. We seek a third path, where the wine balances bright acidity and high-toned minerality with the rich fruit and generous structure that come naturally to our terroir in Napa.  

Achieving that balance requires careful attention to the details of the site, as well as a touch of restraint. Since our first vintage in 1985, we have sourced our fruit from the same hillside of decomposed shale and sandstone in the cool Carneros district, meticulously maintained by the Truchard Family. We make up to ten small picks over the course of a month as different sections of the vineyard ripen. Each successive pick is fermented for a handful of days in new French oak barrels before being racked at the peak of its fermentation into concrete tanks, where it sits on its lees, untouched, for the next eleven months. The time in oak allows Chardonnay the room to broaden its aromatic range to match the variety’s promise, while the long cooling-off period sur lie gives the wine depth and incredible freshness. The end result is a Chardonnay that challenges preconceptions of what a Napa Chardonnay can do.  

• Fruit sourced from a long‑term partnership vineyard on steep, decomposed shale and sandstone slopes in Carneros, at the southern, cooler end of Napa Valley.
• The shale‑rich soils encourage deep rooting and modest yields, giving intensity without heaviness and emphasizing citrus, stone fruit, and mineral notes over sheer ripeness.
• Cool marine influence, frequent fog, and wide diurnal swings allow for a long, even growing season, building flavor at lower sugars and helping maintain natural acidity.
• Consistent farming and sourcing over decades have created a clear, recognizable house style: more “shale and stone” than butter and toast.

• Multiple small picks—often up to ten passes—over roughly a month let us capture different ripeness windows and a broader aromatic range.
• Each pick begins fermentation in new French oak barrels for only a handful of days before being racked at the peak of fermentation into insulated concrete or tank, where it finishes.
• The wine then rests sur lie, untouched, for up to 11–12 months, building depth, texture, and aromatic complexity while preserving remarkable freshness.
• The balance of brief barrel contact and extended lees aging yields a Chardonnay with structure and breadth but without heavy oak flavors or buttery notes.

• Aromas of ripe apple, quince, and white peach are layered with lemon pith, wet stone, and delicate white flowers.
• On the palate, bright acidity and a taut, mineral core frame flavors of citrus, green apple, grapefruit, and lemongrass, with hints of flint, brioche, and a subtle toastiness from time on lees.
• The wine is completely dry, classically proportioned, and medium‑bodied, its modest alcohol and long, stony finish inviting another sip.
• While immediately accessible, Shale and Stone has the concentration and structure to evolve in bottle, gaining savory, nutty, and textural complexity over several years.