Fall Release Charles Heintz Vineyard Isobel Chardonnay
2013

Winemaker’s Notes

Our finest Isobel effort since the wonderful 2009 vintage, a wine currently drinking at peak complexity. Leaner, more intense, livelier and more citrus-driven than its softer/broader 2012 predecessor and a wine that will age brilliantly. This is above all a site-driven wine, long on mineral, stony complexity and highly evocative of Heintz Vineyard. Crammed full of typical Heintz herbs and botanical elements, the wine takes some time in the glass to unfold and reveal its broad range of flavors, so I strongly recommend you decant this wine for an hour and don’t serve it too cold – 55F is fine. There’s prominent acidity present that makes this the most stony, mineral wine we’ve ever bottled but as the wine sits in the glass, layers of lime oil and honeyed beeswax begin to reveal themselves. Very European in style but every bit a product of this great vineyard in this wonderful racy chardonnay vintage.

Great cool climate intensity, bright, sharp aromas, grapefruit, white nectarine, mixed botanicals, sea spray and minerals. Subtle floral/blossom note and faint match stick complexity. Vibrant fruit entry – green apple, citrus oil then chamomile and lemongrass. Clean river-pebble edge, livewire intensity. Mid-palate relaxes and layered honeyed texture develops. Lots of lemons and limes on the penetrating saline finish. Decant for an hour and drink between 2015 and 2021.

Andy Smith