Matthiasson Cool Climate Chardonnay

Making wine is a labour of love. This wine almost didn’t happen….the husband and wife team, the Matthiassons saw the potential in the land and were determined to make something amazing. Through backbreaking work of clearing the insanely stubborn rockiest soils they had every seen themselves as well as planting the vines. They knew they could make a lush, mineral driven wine with weight and richness.

It’s a cool climate chardonnay which reflects the minerality power of the vineyard characteristic. This winemaker of the year winner, natural farming practices and world class Chardonnay produced in very small quantities, 273 cases were made.
The fruit is picked in two batches. The first batch 80% is picked early to persevere the naturally high acidity and moderate alcohol. The remaining 20% is harvested a little bit later to capture the richness and power of the vineyard site. The fruit from each are lightly whole-cluster-pressed, settled for 24 hours, then barrel fermented. The wine goes through 100% malolactic fermentation in older neutral barrels and a few new French oak barrels. It is given 18 months of barrel aging, with no topping or sulfur added until bottling. There is also no battonage (stirring of the lees) — the wine rests on the gross lees undisturbed.

Matthiasson Michael Mara Vineyard Sonoma Coast, California Chardonnay 2017

👁 Pale lemon color

👃 Intensely fresh aromas of lemon, just picked pineapple, pear, green apple, grass, coconut, nectarine, white peach and minerals.

👄 Refreshing acidity that carries the mineralty and lushness, balanced with 13.1% ABV which is an achievement in Sonoma, and oh so sensuous flavors of lemon, pineapple, pear, green apple, grass, nectarine, coconut, white peach, white pepper, vanilla, marshmallows,caramel, cream, acacia and crushed stone that carries forward in length. Such a beautiful Chardonnay, Burgundian like with a Sonoma twist finishes on a musical hum.

My pairing of Lemon Basil Cod Cakes - normally I would pair a California Chardonnay with Cod but as I mentioned above this is not your typical Napa Chard. These two were harmonious together and created a new tune - happy Monday!