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Acclaim
95 Points - Wine Enthusiast, May 2008

Winemaker's Notes
Our 2005 Réserve Spéciale has a commanding bouquet of citrus, vanilla and crème brulee. The palate is richly concentrated, but still agile and balanced. The finish is long, structured and pure. This wine shows the even hand of Richard's winemaking, the character of the vineyards and the concentration and equilibrium of the great 2005 vintage.

Our Reserve Chardonnay is a testament to technique and terroir. It showcases Richard Arrowood's four decades of winemaking experience; it also demonstrates the elegance and versatility of Sonoma County fruit. As in prior vintages, our 2005 Reserve is a blend of our best barrels from our best sites. For precision and structure Richard selected lots from two vineyards in the Russian River (Alary and Preston). For texture and mouthfeel he included barrels from the Alta Vista Vineyard located on the Sonoma side of Carneros.

Of all the world's noble white varieties, Chardonnay has an unparalleled ability to showcase the complexities of terroir and the sensibilities of the vintner. A great bottle of Chardonnay is like a forum on winemaking technique, geology, topography, climate and varietal character. The grape is uniquely adept at conveying both nuance and power in the same wine.

Varietal Composition: Chardonnay
Appellation: Sonoma County
Viticultural Area/Vineyard: Russian River Valley - Alary Vineyards, Preston Ranch; Sonoma Los Carneros - Alta Vista Vineyards
Harvest Dates: September 15 through October 16, 2005
Average Sugar at Harvest: 23.8° Brix
Average pH (harvest/bottling): 3.3/3.6
Average Total Acid (Harvest/Bottling): .77g per 100ml/.51g per 100ml
Fermentation/Aging: 100% barrel fermentation; 100% malolactic
fermentation; lots aged separately in French oak barrels for eight months, select lots blended and returned to French oak barrels for an additional six months of aging.
Alcohol by Volume: 14.8%
Release Date: October 2007
Total Production: 748 cases