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2021 Woolsey Road Vineyard Chardonnay

2021 Woolsey Road Vineyard Chardonnay
95 Points International Wine Report

The 2021 Woolsey Road Chardonnay consists of ultra premium fruit hailing from the legendary Russian River Valley AVA. Planted in the 1970’s, these 50-year old vines (Old Wente Clone) grown on sandy gold loam fully express themselves with intense tropical notes, oceanic minerality, and bright acidity.

Be sure to chill it down until the lions change color, and then you’ll know you’re at the proper serving temperature! Similar to previous vintages, the full-bodied structure comes from very ripe fruit, native yeast, bâtonnage sur lies, and being unfined and unfiltered. Notes of creamy Maui pineapple, white peaches, jasmine tea, and quince are interlaced with coastal mineral salinity and bright acidity, leading into a long-lasting crème brûlée finish. 

 

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$85.00
 
SKU: HERT21CH7
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Chardonnay
Appellation
Russian River Valley
Aging
17 months - 90% new French and Hungarian Oak
Alcohol %
14.9
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
“The 2021 Woolsey Road Chardonnay is another stellar Chardonnay from Hertelendy. Bursting with exotic aromas of white peaches, pineapples, honeysuckle, poached pears, crème brûlée, citrus blossoms that all take shape beautifully. On the palate this possesses a fantastic textural richness that is underlined by a lovely touch of acidity which keeps everything fresh and balanced all the way through the finish. This is a simply delicious Chardonnay from Hertelendy which is outstanding now and also has the potential to withstand a few years of bottle age.” —-International Wine Report, 95 Points"
Ratings
The 2021 ‘Woolsey Road Vineyard’ comes from this great Russian River Valley property. Ripe and rich, this shows lovely salinity with mango, pineapple, lemon drop and baked apple flavors with buttered brioche. Finishing long with cream and minerals, this is a beautiful bottling that is showing so well even in its youth. Drink 2024-2032." —Owen Bargreen, 94 Points
Awards
"The 2021 Hertelendy Chardonnay Woolsey Vineyard Russian River is medium gold; the bouquet sports a youthful freshness of fruit with its characteristic stone fruit flavors but there is also a note of lemon zest. As the wine evovles in the glass this latter aromatic fully disappates making way for tropical aromas including notes of mango, ripe papaya, guava, passion fruit and ripe pear. It is also floral with scents of star jasmine and honeysuckle. The palate is brightly lit from the acidity, rich from the flavor and rounded and supple from the texture. Like the bouquet, the palate is youthful focusing on its fruit core rather than oak. This bottling has richness and ripeness but also bright acidity. Flavors include pineapple, stone fruits and red apple. Its texture is rounded, supple and flows like velvet over the palate. This wine drinks very well by itself; the finish begs another sip which is always the highest complement one can bestow upon a wine." —The Napa Wine Project
Winemaker Notes
“I strongly believe that the best California Chardonnays ever produced were in the 1990’s: big, bold, seductive, provocative…I truly miss that lost art, and am reviving that style with distinguished Hertelendy elegance.” — Ralph Hertelendy