Robert Mondavi Chardonnay Private Selection 2017

The 2017 Chardonnay is golden straw in color and opens with aromas of key lime pie, honeysuckle, pineapple, crème brûlee, and vanilla bean. Rich and creamy flavors of baked apples, poached pears, pineapple, baking spices, and toasty oak with a balanced acidity and finish.

The 2017 growing season marked the end of a five-year drought. Significant rain throughout the state refilled reservoirs and replenished soils. Harvest began early and at a normal pace, ramping up during a heat wave in late August and early September. Temperatures cooled in mid-September, slowing harvest and allowing the grapes to fully mature. The resulting wines show excellent aromatics, flavors, and acidity.

The fruit for this vintage was sourced from vineyards where warm days and cool nights provide ideal ripening conditions for grapes to develop bright, ripe fruit flavors and crisp acidity. The grapes were harvested at night and in the early morning to preserve ideal acidity and sugar levels. Harvest ran from September through October 2017.

After night and early morning harvesting, we whole cluster pressed the grapes then cold fermented the juice in stainless steel to fully capture its fresh flavors. A portion of the blend also underwent malolactic fermentation to foster a rich, creamy mouthfeel. Seventy percent of the wine was aged for eight months with French oak.

Food Pairing: Enjoy the Robert Mondavi Chardonnay with roasted turkey and rosemary stuffing, chicken cordon bleu, stuffed Dover sole, and fettucine Alfredo.