Nose
The 2015 vintage has yielded a lush and intensely aromatic wine, with beautiful
aromas of white flowers, tangerine, beeswax and tropical fruit.
Palate
Though full and rich on the palate,
Conner Lee’s signature cool-climate acidity keeps things bright and energetic, adding complex
layers of minerality to vivid flavors of orange and tropical fruit.
Growing Conditions
2015 began with a very warm February and March, followed by abundant heat
from mid-May to late June. To address the early season heat, which spurred the vines to a very
early start, we tailored our irrigation, crop size and shading to the needs of the vineyard. From July
on, the weather returned to seasonal averages, allowing us to fine-tune our viticulture in the run-up
to harvest.
Harvest
Though harvest was our earliest ever, thanks to knowledge gained from other warm
vintages, the quality of the fruit was exceptional. With an eye toward acid levels (as opposed to
sugars) we picked our 1989 block chardonnay on August 28th and Sept 7th at 22.5 ̊Brix/3.3 pH,
and 23.0 ̊Brix/3.3 pH respectively, with our clone #95 grapes arriving on September 1st at 22.3 ̊
and 3.65 pH.
Winemaking
This wine was 100% whole-cluster pressed. 55% was fermented in predominantly
mature Burgundy barrels, with a total of 11% new French oak. To enhance texture and richness,
we fermented the other 45% in concrete. To maintain Conner Lee’s bright, fresh character, only
40% of the wine went through malolactic fermentation. In keeping with our gentle winemaking
approach, and a belief in preserving nuance and complexity, this wine was not cold stabilized.
