Quail Hill Chardonnay 2018

Lynmar Estate’s 45-acre Quail Hill Vineyard has five distinct blocks of Chardonnay. The largest, Block 14, was planted in 1974 to the Rued Chardonnay Clone, known for its stunning floral notes. The remaining vines are Old Wente Clone, which add a weighty, round richness to this release.

Lynmar’s state-of-the-art, multilevel, gravity-flow winery allows the gentlest treatment of the grapes as they arrive in the cellar. Harvested in the cool, early morning hours, the delicate clusters are transferred to the press with a forklift to avoid pumping. The juice is drained by gravity, then allowed to settle and complete fermentation before being transferred to aging vessels.

This wine spent 14 months in French oak barrels, 45% new.

A clear pale straw color in the glass, the Quail Hill Chardonnay emanates vibrant aromas of fresh lemon curd, Jasmine flower, honeycomb and tangerine peel. On the palate, flavors of lemon meringue and kiwi emerge leading to hints of nutmeg and wet stone. Bright acidity carries into a long finish, highlighting notes of lemongrass and pie crust.