Steele Goodchild Chardonnay 2008

We source Chardonnay from seven vineyards in California. Santa Barbara, Carneros, Sonoma and Mendocino are all appellations Jed considers superior for Chardonnay. In any given vintage, Jed will determine that anywhere from two to three of the vineyards have produced fruit that is truly remarkable. The best of these lots is separated and bottled as single vineyard designated Chardonnay. The wines display an expression of Chardonnay that is a unique combination of varietal and geographic character. Each single vineyard Chardonnay is produced in small lots of under 300 6-packs.

 Vineyard       

Goodchild Vineyard sits across the Sisquoc River from Bien Nacido and is a few more miles inland. It is a younger vineyard planted on the site of the old Goodchild land grant, which originally occupied thousands of acres on the south side of the river. Being further from the ocean and tucked behind some low hills, it is warmer than Bien Nacido and is harvested a week or so earlier. This wine shows the same tropical fruit aromas and flavors that are typical of Santa Barbara fruit.

Winemaking  

All of our single vineyard designated Chardonnays are 100% barrel fermented in French Oak barrels. We use 30% new barrels each vintage and the wines are in barrel for 10-12 months. All wines finish malolactic fermentation and have the lees stirred monthly. The wines are clean racked in September and allowed to settle naturally in stainless steel tanks for three months. The wines are then bottled without tight filtration. These may show a slight haze but this is merely a mark of gentle handling. These Chardonnays should easily age for ten years or more.

Tasting Notes           

This vineyard, given its coastal influence, produces a wine with bright acidity with aromas and flavors of mango,  melon, and white peach and banana.  It finishes with a suggestion of butterscotch, framed by a slight oak edge.  

Food pairing 

Halibut with mango salsa.