2010 Chardonnay Clos Marco

10% of sales from the WillaKenzie Estate Chardonnay Clos Marco will be donated to the Oregon Humane Society in memory of our late best friend Marco.

TASTING NOTES:
Colored flax yellow, this 2010 Oregon Chardonnay closely resembles a traditional French Chablis. Its nose of fresh sugar cane, pear tatin, honeysuckle, and just a hint of wet stone is very aromatic and inviting. A juicy citrus entry rounds into pineapple, Asian pear, green coconut and soft minerals, finishing with a slightly steely, halva note. Drink now or age for 5-7 years. Serve slightly chilled.

 Try the WillaKenzie Chardonnay with a rabbit and mushroom mousseline, truffle fries, or a fresh spinach and chevre salad.

 

VINTAGE
The 2010 vintage caused much anxiety in Oregon although it featured a relatively warm winter, especially February. Spring, however, was cold and wet, with May and June temperatures 8-10 degrees below average on most days. Budbreak occurred in the third week of April, but very little growth took place in the following weeks. Veraison was one of the latest on record, beginning at the end of August and completing in mid-September. The vintage was saved by a sunny and fairly dry October, contributing to good phenolic maturity, albeit at a lower than usual Brix level. Harvest started on October 19 with Terres Basses and finished on November 1 just before the rainy season. The 2010 Chardonnay is balanced with a lower level of alcohol, typically around 13.8, and exhibits an excellent fruit profile.

 

VINEYARDS
Several acres of Chardonnay were planted in 1995 to Dijon Clones 76 and 96. These clones ripen early and produce grapes that consistently make a fuller, richer Chardonnay. For many years Bernard made this Chablis-style Chardonnay for his personal cellar, but in honor of Marco, the wine’s namesake, he released it to the public. The name ‘Clos Marco‘ was selected to honor the late, beloved Doberman Pinscher, who used to roam the vineyards with Bernard.

Yield: 3.9 tons per acre / Brix: 22.1° / pH: 3.2 / TA: 8.5

WINEMAKING
We timed our Chardonnay harvest based on taste and physiological maturity. Our goal is to let the Chard vines fully express the fruit qualities that are characteristic of the varietal. We make our Oregon Chardonnay in the Chablis style to emphasize fruit, minerality and crisp acidity. The grapes are pressed whole clusters, and after cold settling of the juice, inoculated with yeast chosen to enhance the fruit’s aromatics. We fermented in stainless steel containers slowly and at low temperatures to optimize the freshness and subtlety of the Chardonnay fruit.

Alcohol: 13.5% / Residual Sugar: 0.2% / pH: 3.25 / TA: 7.9