first vintage of this wine. Woodruff Vineyard. red apple skin, brown lees, something honied in the nose. the texture of honey comb. a fresh brown aspect. high acid and a creamy nature to the nose. Davis Clone 4. dry farmed, whole cluster pressed into barrel. partial ML, 18 months in barrel without very much topping up. Once in 08, twice in 09. Sulfur at bottling. '08 1/3 new oak, '09 no new oak.
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Perhaps even better on day two. Kinda amazing how full and rich it is but with clear and forceful acidity. If you are willing to go with it, very delicious.
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Nutty and savory, like a baked apple pie. I had thought that it was "thinning up" but now I want to revise my opinion -- light on its feet, pure and elegant, despite, or because of, its beauty. Like someone who is incredibly attractive but in thier own very unique way. I can't get over it actually. Must drink more.
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Some what of an interview with Kenny, conducted over two emails and a couple of weeks:
"As for my Chardonnay, the wine led the way.
"The low ph which is a result of the high acid inhibited the malolactic. I was kind of waiting for it so didn't sulfur because I didn't want to further inhibit it. It never did occur, but the oxidation happened as a result of not sulfuring. In Jura, I believe they also don't top. I did top, but the oxidation still occurred.
"I think Chardonnay is pretty sensitive to oxidation. Also think it can be attractive in Chardonnay. I have tried a lot of "aldehydic" white wines here especially among the natural producers. I kind of dig it because it adds to the mouthfeel and complexity."
-- second discussion:
"[The] Chard was fermented with Natural yeast and most likely you are right about indigenous strains and then a take over by sacchromyces. I do believe that the early fermentation should contribute to complexity.
"The alcohol and the acid are not really related. In most cases, acid will decline as sugar goes up, but it isn't directly related and in this case, it didn't happen. We had an accumulation of sugar without a reduction in acid. I think that it is a character of the site, but I can't be sure yet. Could also be the fact that the vines are old and somewhat virussed. "
KL
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Interesting because it seems to be "thinning" out some. Loosing some of its big leesy-ness and getting more tense and focused. What a beautiful wine, all of its own thing.
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Much better warm -- above cellar temperature I mean. Drinks more like a red wine and can actually take quite a high temp. for drinking. Better the longer it is open.
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A shocking change in character from all the other chardonnays. Ok, everyone at this tasting tonight is probably going to hate this one. So here is my pre-game defence -- this anit really a wine you want to taste, its a wine you want to live with and feel. You want to get roomy and sweaty with this thing and let it roam all around. Oh yeah.
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DAY 1. yep. thoughts here are no malo and not sulfured until bottling. i'd like to see this next to the o'shea scarborough chardonnay. cinnamon and baking apple on the nose. bright acid that i would not normally consider to be of California. red apple skin on the nose. the aroma a half inch above warm wet cement. ben's reference to orange bread and jura style are dead on. the finish stands on the edge of the ocean. a rather deja vu inducing saltiness. the bright acid does a graceful cliff jump on the finish and leaves the room rather quietly. this is fun wine.
DAY 2. quite the turn. first note off the nose today is that of the circus peanut. maybe confectionery sugar is a better term. banana is the fruit. there seems to be an ashen streak running through the wine. the whole aldehydic thing that was going on yesterday is long gone today. the palate starts to show the oak aspect today. palate offers up an interesting floral component that seems married to the circus peanut off the nose. the acid has a pronouncement on the finish, but seems more backed off from yesterday. this wine is shapeshifting. buy, buy, buy.
DAY 3. back to where this started yesterday. the banana and circus peanut on the nose. that's putting it too easily. more of an italian cookie or a yellow asian fruit on the nose. palate is really, really together tonight. a long, long almondine finish. jeez. my comment on day one of the acid being so high, doesn't seem as applicable today.
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Another bottle shared with dad for father's day. Rather delicious. Hedionistic, yet also so much to think about. Went to the farmers market earlier in the day and had this with grilled new potatoes, spring peas, mustard, lots of tarragon and chives and then everything mixed together with a little bit of creme fraiche. A wonderful match.
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Upon first having it a not so polite arguement insued over aldehydic vs. brioche note. "You are not interested in the journey of a wine" vs "you don't know what you are talking about." So, you can guess where I am at on the wine.
I think this is a very hard to understand wine, but all the better for it. I mean really, there are enough easy to understand wines in this world do I want yet another Chardonnay that is just Chardonnay?
I was dreaming about this wine, it haunts me. I think the measure is that is 22 months in old oak (new oak?) without the stablity of sulfur. So the wine is somewhat exposed to oxygen. "Jura Style" I believe was the intent.
So here: apples, but not bruised, ripe; cinnamon, oak, yeast notes. Chardonnay fruit notes as well. Very complex. Full ranging palate. Smokin' acidity but you (or I) will miss it at first blanche because this is rather "big".
Its defiantely out of our normal ball park of tastes but it certainly is special. Makes you think that this is why people would oxydize wine in the first place.
Like a baked orange bread. Hints at sweetness, totally subtle though. Like orange zest on spice bread. Very strange, yet so engaging.
I can't stop drinking it. So much of an intellectual pleasure and puzzle. Yet also hedonistic.
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3/12/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Creamy, and oxydized and very rich on the palate, wonderful, but also very unqiue in its own way. On day two.
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3/11/2012 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Waterford Staff Party 2.0 (Waterford Wine Co., Milwaukee): Orange circus peanut, banana, lemon custard. I've been trying, but the 09 has my heart over the 08. This wine was just in the wrong company today.
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4/9/2011 - nzinkgraf wrote:
first vintage of this wine. Woodruff Vineyard. red apple skin, brown lees, something honied in the nose. the texture of honey comb. a fresh brown aspect. high acid and a creamy nature to the nose. Davis Clone 4. dry farmed, whole cluster pressed into barrel. partial ML, 18 months in barrel without very much topping up. Once in 08, twice in 09. Sulfur at bottling. '08 1/3 new oak, '09 no new oak.
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1/9/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Seems to be getting leaner as it gets older. Is it closing down or evolving?
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11/24/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Perhaps even better on day two. Kinda amazing how full and rich it is but with clear and forceful acidity. If you are willing to go with it, very delicious.
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11/23/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Nutty and savory, like a baked apple pie. I had thought that it was "thinning up" but now I want to revise my opinion -- light on its feet, pure and elegant, despite, or because of, its beauty. Like someone who is incredibly attractive but in thier own very unique way. I can't get over it actually. Must drink more.
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11/23/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Pretty sure this is corked out.
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10/1/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Some what of an interview with Kenny, conducted over two emails and a couple of weeks:
"As for my Chardonnay, the wine led the way.
"The low ph which is a result of the high acid inhibited the malolactic. I was kind of waiting for it so didn't sulfur because I didn't want to further inhibit it. It never did occur, but the oxidation happened as a result of not sulfuring. In Jura, I believe they also don't top. I did top, but the oxidation still occurred.
"I think Chardonnay is pretty sensitive to oxidation. Also think it can be attractive in Chardonnay. I have tried a lot of "aldehydic" white wines here especially among the natural producers. I kind of dig it because it adds to the mouthfeel and complexity."
-- second discussion:
"[The] Chard was fermented with Natural yeast and most likely you are right about indigenous strains and then a take over by sacchromyces. I do believe that the early fermentation should contribute to complexity.
"The alcohol and the acid are not really related. In most cases, acid will decline as sugar goes up, but it isn't directly related and in this case, it didn't happen. We had an accumulation of sugar without a reduction in acid. I think that it is a character of the site, but I can't be sure yet. Could also be the fact that the vines are old and somewhat virussed. "
KL
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10/1/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Interesting because it seems to be "thinning" out some. Loosing some of its big leesy-ness and getting more tense and focused. What a beautiful wine, all of its own thing.
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9/13/2010 - TrevorCandelino wrote:
I am in love with this wine. Phenomenal effort....
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9/11/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Much better warm -- above cellar temperature I mean. Drinks more like a red wine and can actually take quite a high temp. for drinking. Better the longer it is open.
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8/11/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
A shocking change in character from all the other chardonnays. Ok, everyone at this tasting tonight is probably going to hate this one. So here is my pre-game defence -- this anit really a wine you want to taste, its a wine you want to live with and feel. You want to get roomy and sweaty with this thing and let it roam all around. Oh yeah.
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6/27/2010 - nzinkgraf wrote:
DAY 1.
yep. thoughts here are no malo and not sulfured until bottling. i'd like to see this next to the o'shea scarborough chardonnay. cinnamon and baking apple on the nose. bright acid that i would not normally consider to be of California. red apple skin on the nose. the aroma a half inch above warm wet cement. ben's reference to orange bread and jura style are dead on. the finish stands on the edge of the ocean. a rather deja vu inducing saltiness. the bright acid does a graceful cliff jump on the finish and leaves the room rather quietly. this is fun wine.
DAY 2.
quite the turn. first note off the nose today is that of the circus peanut. maybe confectionery sugar is a better term. banana is the fruit. there seems to be an ashen streak running through the wine. the whole aldehydic thing that was going on yesterday is long gone today. the palate starts to show the oak aspect today. palate offers up an interesting floral component that seems married to the circus peanut off the nose. the acid has a pronouncement on the finish, but seems more backed off from yesterday. this wine is shapeshifting. buy, buy, buy.
DAY 3.
back to where this started yesterday. the banana and circus peanut on the nose. that's putting it too easily. more of an italian cookie or a yellow asian fruit on the nose. palate is really, really together tonight. a long, long almondine finish. jeez. my comment on day one of the acid being so high, doesn't seem as applicable today.
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6/20/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Another bottle shared with dad for father's day. Rather delicious. Hedionistic, yet also so much to think about. Went to the farmers market earlier in the day and had this with grilled new potatoes, spring peas, mustard, lots of tarragon and chives and then everything mixed together with a little bit of creme fraiche. A wonderful match.
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6/8/2010 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Upon first having it a not so polite arguement insued over aldehydic vs. brioche note. "You are not interested in the journey of a wine" vs "you don't know what you are talking about." So, you can guess where I am at on the wine.
I think this is a very hard to understand wine, but all the better for it. I mean really, there are enough easy to understand wines in this world do I want yet another Chardonnay that is just Chardonnay?
I was dreaming about this wine, it haunts me. I think the measure is that is 22 months in old oak (new oak?) without the stablity of sulfur. So the wine is somewhat exposed to oxygen. "Jura Style" I believe was the intent.
So here: apples, but not bruised, ripe; cinnamon, oak, yeast notes. Chardonnay fruit notes as well. Very complex. Full ranging palate. Smokin' acidity but you (or I) will miss it at first blanche because this is rather "big".
Its defiantely out of our normal ball park of tastes but it certainly is special. Makes you think that this is why people would oxydize wine in the first place.
Like a baked orange bread. Hints at sweetness, totally subtle though. Like orange zest on spice bread. Very strange, yet so engaging.
I can't stop drinking it. So much of an intellectual pleasure and puzzle. Yet also hedonistic.
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