Fall Release Charles Heintz Vineyard Isobel Chardonnay
2009

Winemaker’s Notes

This is arguably the most intense white wine we have bottled since the legendary 2002 Isobel bottling which is now at full maturity. The overall impression this wine gives is of a distilled essence of Heintz Vineyard and a late-harvest Riesling-like super intensity. It’s also a wine of two parts – incredible overt richness of aromas and flavor then tense, penetrating acidity which reverberates throughout the wine to a tightly structured finish. Analytically this wine has the highest level of acidity we’ve ever bottled, such that would make an old Burgundian puff out his chest with pride. At bottling these two parts were somewhat disparate but I expect with a year in bottle they will harmonize into a wine that will make quite a statement. Somewhat surprisingly perhaps, my recommendation is to drink this wine on the young side, certainly over the next 5 years, before this youthful intensity mellows and the wine’s inherent richness takes full control. This will be a fascinating one to follow.

Light gold color; highly perfumed – honeyed citrus, cut grass, ripe tropical fruits, nutmeg and allspice aromas. White peach, apricot and candied ginger flavors turn to creamy vanilla and clove. Wave upon wave of honeyed fruits then tightly-coiled finish as nervy acidity kicks in. Taut, structured back end. Serve no cooler than 55 degrees and drink between 2012 and 2016.

Andy Smith