Captûre

The marriage of California's frontier spirit, coupled with time-honored French winemaking techniques, give depth and nuance to Captûre Wines. Our 2009 Ma Vie Carol Chardonnay is the result of the purest Burgundian winemaking practices, directed to Chardonnay grapes which we selected from the unique terroir of our Tin Cross Vineyards estate. As a result, this wine offers an interesting compromise between a Puligny-Montrachet and the finest Chardonnays produced in Sonoma. Situated 2,450 feet above the Alexander Valley floor, Tin Cross Vineyards are among the highest in California.

With multi-generational experience from Château Latour and a personal history in making wine in Burgundy, our winemaking team understands the methods behind crafting classic French-style Chardonnay with freshness, balance and finesse, as well as extraordinary aromatic intensity from hillside grapes.

After a meticulous hand-sorting and de-stemming, the grapes are gently pressed using a precise press program and fractioning, a result of old Burgundian traditions and years of research. After a quick cold settling, the clean juice is fermented in French oak barrels at about 60°F by a specific selection of Saccharomyces yeast to emphasize the potential offered by our terroir. The fully fermented wine is aged sur lie for 11 months, with extensive stirring during the first five months to improve its balance and mouth-feel.

Fermentation in French oak barrels and ageing on the lees enhance the aromatic complexity, with aromas of white peaches, fresh apricots, and honeysuckle. The minerality of this Chardonnay is due to the terroir and altitude of our vineyard. The well balanced, creamy texture, yet fresh elegant mouth-feel and lingering finish confer to this wine its Puligny-Montrachet like style.

The grapes used for this wine come from the vineyard blocks of Tin Cross Vineyards. Every vine on our estate is organically grown and maintained to meet rigorous field specifications, a practice which yields healthier, more sustainable vines that positively contribute to the longevity of the land and the quality of the fruit produced.

100% Chardonnay
Clonal Selection:
Robert Young