Nose
This expressive Chardonnay offers pronounced aromas of dried mango, grilled peach, and honeysuckle.
Palate
Slightly creamy in the mouth, it shows beautiful weight and freshness, explosive flavors of ripe pear and apple, accented with nutmeg spice notes, carrying through a persistent finish.
Growing Conditions
Vineyards: Schmitt, Evergreen, Oasis, Stillwater Creek
Harvest
An overall mild growing season and challenging harvest have nonetheless delivered a high-quality vintage for L’Ecole. A cold and snowy February/March delayed field pruning, resulting in budbreak late April to early May. A warm May accelerated canopy growth and the onset of bloom. Cooler July temperatures moderated heat unit accumulation with veraison delayed 7 to10 days from normal. August brought customary warm weather, with only a few heat spikes over 100°F. A warm early September initiated a normal harvest, which was slowed due to slightly rainy and cooler conditions. A light frost at the end of September along with a forecast of more freezing weather on its way accelerated picking, with 60% of our fruit harvested the first two weeks of October. Freezing weather quickly brought the season to a close the second week of October. With delight, we are seeing beautiful and elegant wines, with high natural acidity, and impressive structure.
Bottling
Bottling Date: May 29 - June 1-2, 2020
Winemaking
The Chardonnay was harvested in the cool early morning hours and promptly delivered to the winery for immediate pressing. The fruit was whole-cluster pressed to tank and allowed to settle. The juice was then racked off of the solids into mostly second and third-year tight-grained French oak barrels. The wine was aged sur lie and stirred regularly over six months.
