Robert Mondavi Chardonnay Reserve 2014

We hand-harvested our selected Chardonnay grapes into one-half ton bins at daybreak and gently pressed them as whole clusters to retain fruity flavors and delicacy. A slow, cool native-yeast fermentation took place in 100% Burgundian style barrels for fruit and oak integration, and enhanced mouth feel. One hundred percent of the barrels were French oak, 67 percent new, adding layers of complexity. As the new wine underwent malolactic fermentation, we began stirring each barrel twice a week, re-suspending the yeast lees to gradually build in greater creaminess and further enrich the texture. When the wine reached optimal balance of fruit and oak influence, it was blended and transferred to neutral barrels with the lees to continue aging for a total of 11 months. The wine was bottled in October of 2015.