Fall Release Charles Heintz Vineyard Isobel Chardonnay
2016

Winemaker’s Notes

Our 2016 Charles Heintz Vineyard Isobel Chardonnay is one of the richest examples in recent memory from this classic coastal site perched at 1,000 feet elevation on a ridgeline high above Green Valley, some eight miles from the Pacific. It’s clearly richer, deeper and more fruit-driven than the more mineral, tense 2015 bottling and most similar to its great 2007 counterpart, for those with long memories! We harvested our two vineyard blocks rapidly over two days in late September as soon as the fruit reached perfect maturity. The western block, grown on shallow sandy soils, provides the citric/mineral/botanical backbone to the wine, while the eastern block is deeper, broader, fleshing out the wine’s middle. We’re the only producer to blend these two distinct parts of the vineyard, offering a full representation of its greatness. I’ve been working with this wonderful unique site since 1998—a long engagement—and this is easily one of the most memorable bottlings we’ve crafted.

This Chardonnay is infused with incredibly intense lemongrass and citrus oil notes that extend to the very final echo of flavor. Deeply pitched, it has broad viscosity, carrying honeycomb and truffle notes, offset by vibrant coastal acidity. The wine possesses so many changing dimensions that, each time you return to the glass, there’s something new to discover. I recommend you wait to drink until after Spring 2019 to give the wine time to unfold its many nuances. Drink between 2019 and 2023.

Andy Smith