1991
Paul Hobbs Chardonnay, Richard Dinner Vineyard
Winemaker's Notes
This California Chardonnay is reminiscent of the premier cru of the Burgundy. It begins its life with timidity and restraint and opens enormously with time in the bottle and glass. Powerful, complex fruit aromas of pear, apple, and apricot are interlaced with nuances of vanilla, butterscotch, sweet spice, and toasty oak wood. Sensuous on the plate, long and full in the finish, this well-balanced wine complements a wide assortment of foods or may be enjoyed sipped alone.
Serve at cellar temperature (58-620F).
Cellaring: best now through ?96; aging life about 10 years.
Vineyard
Owner/Manager
Richard Dinner/Joe Votek
Vineyard
Richard Dinner Vineyard
Clones
Old Wente
Vineyard Age
Nine years
Site
Hillside, northern exposure, clay-loam gravel with lens of volcanic tuft
Yield
Less than 4 tons/acre
Harvest
Harvest Date
October 2, 1991
Harvest Brix
22.8°
Growing Season
Very cool weather conditions in 1991 delayed harvest a full two weeks, maturing and concentrating flavors in the European style.
Winemaking
Whole cluster, direct-to-press
Fermented in 228L French oak barrels
Fermented with naturally occurring yeasts, 4 to 6 weeks to completion
Natural malolactic fermentation
7 months in barrels, 40% new French oak, aged sur-lies and stirred
