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2006 Arrowood Chardonnay, Réserve Spéciale
Price: $40.00 - Sold Out
Acclaim
93 Points - Wine Enthusiast, December 2008
Winemaker's Notes
The 2006 Réserve Spéciale is a substantial Chardonnay with the benefit of great supporting acidity. It is rich, creamy, toasty, nutty and full-bodied. The wine nicely illustrates the influence of both varietal character and terroir. It is sumptuous, powerful, well-honed and long.
Réserve Spéciale is our highest designation. It is used sparingly, in superb vintages only, for wines that stand out for their intensity, concentration, balance and complexity. It represents the pinnacle of winemaking at Arrowood, the crème de la crème of our cellar.
A few months after harvest we begin the process of evaluating every individual barrel at the winery. We repeat the ritual many times to identify the few select barrels that exhibit extraordinary character and personality.
After eight months in oak we create a trial blend to make sure all of the components are compatible. In 2006, we selected the best barrels from three vineyards in the Russian River Valley. Those wines were then blended together and returned to oak for an additional six months of aging.
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: Sonoma County
Viticultural Area/Vineyard: Russian River Valley - Hansen Vineyards, Preston Ranch, Rodney Strong Vineyards
Harvest Dates: September 26 through October 12, 2006
Average Sugar at Harvest: 24.1° Brix
Average pH (harvest/bottling): 3.5/3.6
Average Total Acid (Harvest/Bottling): .77g per 100ml/.48g 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 (total of 14 months in French oak)
Alcohol by Volume: 14.8%
Release Date: Fall 2008
Total Production: 765 cases
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