Domaine Anderson is nestled in the breathtaking, fog-cooled hillside and mountain terrain of Northern California’s Anderson Valley. Purchased by Champagne Louis Roederer in 2011, the Dach family vineyard prides itself on its limited production and classical wine making style. The cooling marine climate characteristic of this region provides ideal conditions for the cultivation of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. All the wines wines are crafted with precision and care to express the uniqueness of the Anderson Valley terroir. The Chardonnay is made from grapes sourced exclusively from wholly-owned Anderson Valley vineyards, giving the team complete control over farming practices and stewardship of the land.
The 50 acres of Domaine Anderson vineyard wines span the Anderson Valley, from the warmer, up-Valley town of Boonville to the cooler regions closer to the Mendocino coast. They reside on the valley floor, on gently sloped knolls, and on steep hillsides, and offer soils ranging from rocky, river gravels to the finest clay loams. The Chardonnay is produced from grapes sourced exclusively from Estate owned vineyards, allowing complete control over stewardship of the land.
The grapes for the 2016 Domaine Anderson Estate Chardonnay are hand-picked from meticulously farmed blocks on the domain in the Anderson Valley. It embodies the diverse mesoclimates spanning our warmer sites from Walraven vineyard to the cooler sites, towards the Pacific Ocean: Perkins-Clark and Navarro-Fairhill vineyards. After picking the grapes, the team selectively employs partial crushing to macerate the fresh juice on its skins in order to extract structural and aromatic precursors before pressing. After primary fermentation in 60-gallon French oak barrel, the wines begin a slow, cool malolactic fermentation that generally lasts through the spring in order to conserve natural CO2 and freshness. Wine is aged for 10 months in barrel with very limited new oak (7% new). In early summer, specific barrels are selected for the estate blend, yielding wines of restraint and character.
In Chardonnay, “richness” can easily go from being perceived as generous to garish. More mouth-filling than mouth-coating, the 2016 Estate Chardonnay finds a centre of gravity that allows it to be rich and generous without being heavy or lethargic.
Aromas of white flower and yellow apple are framed by a hint of oyster shell minerality. Bright flavors of slightly under ripe peach and yellow apple fill the mouth while a persistent Meyer lemon note lingers.
Delicious with fish dishes such as Turbot or Dover Sole with parsley beurre blanc and a medley of green vegetables.
Serve at 12°C
Anderson Valley, California
100% Chardonnay
Natural Cork
13.4%
6.2% g/L
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