Chardonnay Chloe

Three fruit sources - Flora Marie, El Diablo and Bressay Estate - come together to form Chloe Chardonnay. On the lean red gravel soils of the Central Russian River Valley, it is essential to adjust the yield of the vines correctly; they should not bear too much or too little fruit, otherwise you run the risk of exoticism dominating the aromas. But as you can imagine, this doesn't happen to Andy Smith's ambitious team. The fruit from the Bressay Estate far to the west, i.e. on the coast, brings freshness and precision to the wine, virtually turning on the light with its wonderful tangerine and pineapple aromas. Equally wonderful is the way that a subtle hint of orange blossom and candied ginger occasionally wafts through the nose without lingering. The wine powerfully fills the palate before the acidity breathes life into the wine in the middle. Its finish is again wonderfully taut and juicy with that grip that only the best Chardonnays have, which - and this is my very personal formulation and interpretation - is made up of minerality, tannins (yes, there is such a thing in white wines too) and a phenomenal freshness, not to say acidity, which is, however, exclusively fresh, never acidic and extends the wine's finish by countless seconds and inevitably makes you take another scrutinizing sip. Well done, Andy!