2004 MEADOR ESTATE "BLOCK 9" CHARDONNAY

The grapes for this wine are grown in an extremely difficult area – composed of rock and gravel. The yields are very low, as the vines must struggle greatly just to survive. At twenty-eight years of age, these vines are into their “mature quality” production years. These vines are “on their own roots” in the ancient style – often referred to on French labels as “Vielle Vigne” meaning before phylloxera and not on rootstocks. Locations where this can be done are rare. We hand select the clusters at their optimum for our desired style and immediately the juice is separated to the finest of French oak 60 gallon barrels for fermentation where it resides for about 18 months before assemblage. Our old-world techniques lend themselves well to new-world fruitiness. Minimal intervention (but continual “tending”) combined with superior and unique fruit results in this expressing of terroir and man – a harmonious composition fully scored.

This is a classical Burgundian style Chardonnay, not a “fat” California style. “Block 9” Chardonnay is aged for 18 months in Tonnellerie Bordelaise barrels. Only a few thousand of these award winning barrels were produced. Meador Estates is amongst the fortunate few to produce wines using these artisan Bordeaux barrels. Lovely tones of English toffee with gobs of fruit mingle on the palate balanced with the true oak tones of these extraordinary barrels. The Meador Estate Chardonnay is a long aging wine whose components will blend and marry with age.