2016 Poseidon Vineyard Estate Chardonnay - The aroma opens with notes of fresh pears, tuberose, citrus blossoms and tangerine peel. Honey and graham cracker compliment the vanilla scents. With a soft entry on the palate, the wine bursts into lively, high tones of apples and citrus. It closes with notes of baked pie crust and a warm, toasty finish.Poseidon Vineyard, located at the confluence of Carneros Creek and the Napa River, was originally planted in 1973 by the Molnar Family to the Burgundian varietals: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Originally named “Molnar Family Chardonnay,” in 2012 we have elevated the vineyard name to the brand name, to reflect the single vineyard nature of this wine (but be assured the Molnars are as involved as ever). The maritime environment of the Carneros grape growing season delivers cool, foggy mornings followed by warm days that slowly nurture ripening.

2019 Poseidon Vineyard “Sea Change” Chardonnay - The 2019 growing season got off to a wet and cool start, but a moderate summer allowed for normal vine development and a slightly above-average sized crop. As the summer progressed, the vines made up for some of their late start. A comfortable fall allowed for longer hang time, good fruit maturity and excellent flavor development. The harvest started with a leisurely pace and quickened at the start of October. As a precaution against wildfires, our cellar was in the power company’s blackout zone, throwing the crew for a loop. But our outage was short, and proved harmless to the ongoing fermentations—it was one of the few sources of anxiety in an otherwise textbook season.

WINEMAKING
The fruit was harvested by hand in mid-September when we felt acidity was at its peak. The grapes were pressed whole-cluster into a stainless steel tank to preserve freshness, then allowed to settle and ferment. After fermentation, the wine rested for a period on its lees to allow for flavor integration and add suppleness to the texture. Because we are going for a more crisp, tart-style Chardonnay with Sea Change, we suspended malolactic fermentation, then put the wine into neutral Kádár barrels where it rested for before bottling.