Description
T. BERKLEY CHENIN BLANC MENDOCINO NORGARD
These vines, planted in 1980, are a throwback to a more rustic time in California grape growing. Quadrilaterally trained and utilizing the “California sprawl” trellis, these old vines still thrive in the silty Mendocino County soils outside Ukiah. Minimally intervened with and farmed sustainably (soon to be organic) the vines year in and year out produce some of the most outstanding Chenin Blanc in the state.
The grapes for this wine were hand-picked intentionally at lower brix, foot-tread, and left on skins for up to a day before being pressed and settled overnight. Fermentation took place in a mix of neutral French Oak barrels, stainless-steel barrels, and a concrete egg, and the wine was then aged on lees 12 months, and in tank (off lees) for 3 more. The resultant wine has beautiful, vibrant acidity, and excellent phenolic structure with notes of honeycomb, lemon curd, and lanolin. 300 Cases Produced.
