"The 2011 Chardonnay Platt Vineyard is direct and focused in style. Butter, pastry, citrus and sweet spices are some of the nuances that are alive in the glass. Because of its proximity to the Pacific and the cool vintage, the Platt is a bit compact and tightly wound at this stage….Wild flowers, almonds and mint are layered into the finish. There is a lot to look forward to here."

– Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2014

The 2011 vintage was cold, interspersed with rain during the second half.  We harvested the 15th of October at 23.1 degrees Brix for a perfectly balanced wine, but we were racing against humidity and the possibility of mildew and botrytis setting in.

We use classical Burgundian techniques with the addition of whole cluster pressing of the grapes.  All of our Chardonnays go through native yeast fermentation and then delayed malolactic fermentation in three-year air dried French and Hungarian oak barrels.  Our 2011 Platt aged sur lies for 20 months in 50% new oak barrels.  It was lightly fined with traditional fining agents before being bottled without filtration in August 2013.

This Chardonnay ripens two to three weeks later than our Russian River Chardonnays, with a lower pH, and the crisp acidity and minerality from this cool site are quite apparent in the wine.