Heroine Chardonnay 2023

Heroine 2023 is sourced entirely from Bunker Hillside Vineyard on the western slope of Sonoma Mountain. Sitting over 1,500 ft in elevation, the 50+ year old vines are a mix of Sonoma Mountain, ‘Old Wente’, and Clone 8. From the vineyard, you can see clear across the Petaluma gap. Due to its high exposure to the marine layer fog, the vineyard is very late ripening. Thanks to it’s long hangtime the grapes develop a rich aromatic profile but still retain their hillside fresh acid. This vineyard is a remarkable balance of the concentration of the old vines and particularly rocky soil and high altitude acidity. It embodies what Heroine is all about- elegance and power. 

The grapes were picked in late September and immediately whole cluster pressed  over 6 hours using a soft press champagne cycle method. The wine was then settled for 24 hours before racking into neutral French oak barrels to ferment. The wine fermented naturally through primary and secondary over six months, finally finishing in March! The long, slow fermentation produced a wine both floral, and somewhat tropical. The rich body is balanced by the bright acid of the hillside fruit.