One bottle of 2003 Pahlmeyer Chardonnay and one bottle of 2004 Pahlmeyer Merlot.

For details, see www.pahlmeyer.com

Using only fruit from well-tended vines, Pahlmeyer approaches winemaking in a way that is at once both time-worn and cutting edge.

The grapes are picked at a high Brix, and once destemmed and crushed, brought through primary and malolactic fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Interestingly, the red grape regime includes whole-berry fermentation in small lots, which softens tannins and magnifies fruit flavors. The Chardonnay meanwhile undergoes barrel fermentation in 100% new French oak barrels. It is then aged on the lees for almost one year and in most vintages bottled neither fined nor filtered. The red wines are aged in a combination of new (80%) and one-year-old barrels for approximately two years and then bottled unfined and unfiltered.