2020 Olivet Lane Unoaked Chardonnay
Estate Grown & Bottled
Wine Specs
Vintage
2020
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Russian River Valley
Vineyard Designation
Olivet Lane Vineyard
Harvest Date
September 15, 2020
Acid
6.53 g/L
pH
3.48
Aging
6 months in 80 gallon stainless steel drums, additional aging in tank
Bottling Date
May 19, 2021
Alcohol %
13.5
Wine Specs
Vintage
2020
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Russian River Valley
Vineyard Designation
Olivet Lane Vineyard
Harvest Date
September 15, 2020
Acid
6.53 g/L
pH
3.48
Aging
6 months in 80 gallon stainless steel drums, additional aging in tank
Bottling Date
May 19, 2021
Alcohol %
13.5
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
A wonderful mélange of textures and flavors, the 2020 Olivet Lane Unoaked Chardonnay gleams from the glass with a nose of apricot, tangerine, orange blossom, and lime rind. On the tongue, bright acid accompanies honey crisp apples, mixed melons, and pineapple. The round textured finish leaves a long-lasting aura of green cardamom and candied ginger.
Vineyard Notes
The Olivet Lane Vineyard, named for the mature olive trees lining the entrance, has been faithfully tended by Robert Pellegrini for over 40 years. Originally an apple and plum orchard, the 70-acre property on West Olivet Road in Santa Rosa was purchased by the Pellegrini family in 1973. This prime Russian River Valley property was converted to vineyard in 1975 with the planting of Pinot noir and Chardonnay.
Approximately two-thirds of the vineyard’s 58 planted acres are dedicated to the Wente selection of Chardonnay. The Olivet Lane Vineyard is situated in the heart of the Russian River Valley’s low-lying Laguna de Santa Rosa Plain region, distinguished by the maritime fog influence sweeping up from the Pacific through the Petaluma Gap to the South. The cool climate extends the growing season, creating the opportunity for the grapes to ripen slowly and reach their full flavor potential while retaining their natural acidity, producing wines that are elegant and age-worthy.
Winemaker Notes
Our Olivet Lane Unoaked Chardonnay is meant for one reason and one reason alone, to provide an unbiased demonstration of the beauty and grace of Chardonnay on this heritage vineyard. In 2018, we began using stainless steel drums rather than tank to ferment the Olivet Lane Unoaked Chardonnay, allowing us to experiment with different yeasts for complexity of flavor and sur lie aging methods for enhanced texture. For all intents and purposes, this wine is made in the exact same fashion as the Olivet Lane Chardonnay with only 2 points of variation: stainless steel barrels instead of oak, and no malolactic conversion. The ability to fully incorporate lees into the wine with a barrel stirring wand, which is not an option with tank fermentations, lends to immense texture and length in the back of the pallet, while engulfing the front and mid palate with fruit flavors.
Food Pairing Notes
Roasted Pork Loin with green peppercorn cream sauce, mushroom risotto, roasted carrots with a hint of brown sugar glaze