Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay 2022

The " Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay " vintage is a wine that bears the imprint of its vineyard which spreads out in the Los Carneros area, a place where the Napa Valley meets the northernmost edge of the San Francisco Bay. The vineyard is named to honor red-shouldered hawks which play a vital role in sustainable agricultural practices by regulating rodent populations. The vineyard is planted with 5 varieties of Chardonnay , chosen for their small clusters, low yields and rich, complex flavors. At harvest, the grapes are 100% whole-cluster pressed and the juice is entirely fermented by native yeasts. Then, 75% of the wine is aged and kept on its lees for 14 months in new French oak barrels and 25% in stainless steel vats. The wine does not go through malolactic fermentation in order to maintain sufficient acidity and freshness. This vintage is of rare elegance and the aromatic palette is complex. It reveals notes of yellow and white fleshed fruits such as mango , apple , pear , physalis and apricot marmalade , but also notes of vanilla , orange peel , flint , honey , lime blossom and caramel . This is a ripe, crisp Chardonnay with a soft texture and invigorating acidity that brings elegant balance and energy to the wine. The finish is very beautiful on the finish and makes you salivate.

In the United States, 90% of the wine produced comes from California. It was the influx of gold prospectors to California that boosted the California wine industry in the mid-19th century, particularly in the Sonoma and Napa region. At the start of the 20th century, there were 800 wineries. From 1919 to 1933 Prohibition destroyed the vast majority of the California wine industry so that by 1933, only 140 wineries remained producing wine. It was only from 1960 that the wine industry began to recover from Prohibition and California was primarily known for the production of fortified wines (in the style of Port). It was also in the 1960s that some of the most famous estates were created (Mondavi, Heitz Wine Cellars, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, etc...). In 1976, a significant event took place: the legendary tasting competition better known as the "Judgment of Paris". He sees the greatest French wines opposing the new American wines. This May 24, an unexpected result shakes the world of wine, since to everyone's surprise, it is the United States which wins. However, this competition remains relatively unknown to the general public. Today, there is no doubt that the United States produces great wines. Even though California largely monopolizes the reputation of American wines with its excellent Zinfandels, the state of Oregon produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the world and the state of Washington offers excellent Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon.