Floral Terranes Chardonnay

The grapes come from Matta Bella in Southold, Long Island; Christopher Nicolson who you may know from Red Hook Winery, or Iliamna Fish Co., or better yet both, made the introductions. The wine had about a week’s skin contact before going into barrel. It went through some reduction early on and so they, uniquely, racked the hell out of this wine – a full three times just to get some oxygen in the wine. They then decided to split the wine into two barrels and to let it finish with even more oxidation; to lean into the oxidative properties as it was.

Honestly you don’t read that oxidation all that much – this does not taste like the Jura. There is for sure a complex herbal play, wily phenolics that mimic mint and floral oils. On the palate the wine is full, rounded but not heavy, with a melon mid-palate ever so slightly honeyed. After this pleasant midpalate stroll with various warm fruit tones, the finish is more herbal, like a good gin and tonic just mated with an orange wine. Yum.