ICAN Chardonnay

Vineyard Sourcing

The fruit for this wine came from Mercer Family Vineyards. These vineyard sits on a southeast slope above the Columbia River. The orientation of the blocks allows for morning sun exposure of the fruit, while avoiding the intense afternoon rays.

Growing Season

The past 4-5 years have brought grapes in as early as the middle of August. The warm days and cool nights of September gave us ample fruit flavor development balanced with bright acidity. Some cold events in mid-October definitely put the pressure on to get fruit off the vines. Despite the cool spell, our fruit had plenty of time to ripen, developing intense flavors and dusty tannins.

Winemaking

The grapes were harvested in the very early hours of the morning so they would arrive to the winery cool. Once at the winery, the grapes went directly to the press where the juice was gently pressed away from the skins. The juice was allowed to cold settle for two days before racking. The juice was inoculated with a Chardonnay specific yeast and allowed to ferment cool over 30 days, allowing for great aroma development.