< 2004 Estate Bottled Sauvignon Blanc
COMPLETE TASTING NOTES
A rich and elegant wine is the goal for the Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc. Although capable of expressing many different personalities, our Sauvignon Blanc captures the uniqueness of our land. Our terroir and clonal diversity is brought to life in this beautiful vintage and exemplifies the great lengths to which we will go to create a perfect wine. Like all world-class wines, we begin our focus in the vineyard. Situated on premier growing sites—gravelly hillsides and loamy clay enclaves—we grow no less than nine clones of Sauvignon Blanc, all of which receive individual care. Our tireless commitment to the vineyard involves such viticultural practices as balanced pruning, limited yields, restricted vigor, hand-leafing for optimal sunlight exposure, multiple cluster-thinning passes to assure even ripening, and several harvesting passes—targeting ideal clusters with each pass.
Every cluster was inspected for any defect. Individual grape berries were discarded accordingly. The remaining clusters were whole-cluster pressed and the juice was cold-settled and protected from any oxygen exposure, a practice that protects the aromatic and flavor elements of Sauvignon Blanc. Barrel fermentation, with both native and inoculated yeast, proceeded and malolactic fermentation was not permitted. Finally, the wine was bottled without filtration to allow for the purest expression of our unique vineyards. At once both rich and elegant, lush aromas of grapefruit, honeysuckle and exotic spice are met by a vibrant band of tropical fruit and mineral flavors. The wine is lengthy and persistent, a classic effort. Try pairing our 2004 Estate Sauvignon Blanc with an Asian-influenced crab salad, with mango/citrus vinaigrette, or traditional Pacific Rim cuisine.
REVIEW
Wine Enthusiast awards the 2004 Chalk Hill Estate Bottled Sauvignon Blanc 91 Points
Complete Review
Wine News awards the 2004 Chalk Hill Estate Bottled Sauvignon Blanc Top Ten Sauvignon Blancs of the Year
Complete Review
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
- Blend:
- 88% Sauvignon Blanc, 8% Semillon, 4% Sauvignon Gris
- Vineyard:
- Estate
- Appellation:
- Chalk Hill Appellation, Russian River Valley
- Ageing:
- Ten months SUR LIES, 20% new French oak
- Fermentation:
- 100% in barrel, native and cultured yeast, no malolactic
- Harvested:
- August 18, 2004 brix 24.5 t.a. 7.5 g/l pH 3.2
- Bottled:
- August 18, 2005 t.a. 7.0 g/l pH 3.26
