1997 Late Harvest Chardonnay (375ml)

The level of sugar in the shriveled grapes would be the equivalent to a Trockenbeerenauslese in Germany.  Usually, we figure on getting around 175 gallons per ton from the white grapes.  With this late harvest wine, we got around 60 gallons per ton.  The winemaking protocol was similar to that used by Chateau Y' quem.  Barrel fermented in French oakbarrels (50%) new. Very long, slow fermentation that lasted seven months.  Finally stopped when the alcohol rose to the point where the yeasy were inhibited (when the alcohol gets high your would think that the yeast would become "uninhibited"???). Aged for three years in barrels prior to bottling. With such a high level of alcohol and sugar, this wine should age for another ten years easily.