2009 Qupé Chardonnay Bien Nacido “Y” Block

This is by far our most popular white wine. In most vintages we run out before the next vintage is ready which prompts this early bottling. We distinguish this wine by using white capsules instead of the traditional yellow ones…the bottling dates are also stamped on the box. This is a slightly different blend than our regular Y Block which will get bottled in June. Each year I have 6 or 7 different lots picked at different sugars. I taste through all the lots and select the most forward barrels, while staying true to the overall balance and style, to arrive at this cuvée. All lots are made in the traditional style of whole cluster pressing, complete barrel fermentation and complete malolactic fermentation. About 25% new barrels were used – Burgundy barrels from the Francois Fréres cooperage. Since 2005 I also started buying some Hungarian barrels that are also coopered by Francois Fréres. I like to ferment a small portion of our Y Block Chardonnay(about 10%) in the Hungarian barrels, then when we consolidate after fermentation and remove these barrels from the program and use them for our Bien Nacido Syrah. 1356 cases were bottled in March 2010, the remaining lots (approximately 8000 cases total) will be bottled in June.