High elevation mountain Chardonnay from Napa Valley. Produced in the style of Burgundy, with citrus, white flowers and mineral tones.
We strive to allow the site to shine in every wine we produce. The Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed and allowed to settle via gravity before being transferred to 100% new french oak barrels. Native primary and fermentation occur lasting upwards of six months. No malolactic fermentation nor bâtonnage is performed to the barrels in order to preserve a pure expression of the vineyard, as the intense sunlight of the site creates incredible texture in the fruit. Our Chardonnay is aged in barrels for ten months before a light fining and filtration prior to bottling.
The 2021 vintage was a classic Northern California vintage. Scarce rains in the spring prompted an earlier start to the vintage, while mild temperatures throughout the growing season allowed for prolonged flavor development and created ideal ripening conditions. 2021 was an excellent vintage that made wines with beautiful intensity and great structure. We harvested Cougar Rock Vineyard Chardonnay on September 14th at 21.0° brix.
The Antinori California vineyard is known to brick & mortar as Cougar Rock Vineyard, with the name stemming from the first sight of the craggy rock feature at the highest point of the estate by Piero Antinori in 1966. Cougar Rock Vineyard was the sole source for our inaugural wines in 2011. Nestled from 1,450 to 1,800 feet above sea level, the vineyard lies due east of Yountville, high up in the Vaca Mountain Range of the eastern hills in Napa Valley. Within the range rests Foss Valley, the original throughway from the coast to the Sacramento Valley for the early settlers in California. In the heart of Foss Valley, the 1200-acre estate encompasses the furthest eastward portion of the Atlas Peak AVA in Napa Valley.
