Bouchaine’s 100-acre estate vineyard lies on the southern border of Napa Valley’s Carneros district, overlooking the San Francisco bay with the financial district in the distance. Fog, wind, and the cold night time temperatures of this unique geographical area lend a distinctive regional identity to our Chardonnay.

Growing Season
The growing season of 2022 will ultimately be defined by the 5-day heat wave we experienced in early September. Thankfully, our crop was ready to be harvested. The heat condensed the time frame of harvest and the winery filled up quickly. Prior to the heat, the growing season in Carneros was highlighted only by its cool breezes and morning fog. With all of these factors combined, Bouchaine was able to capture the fresh acidity we know and love, while also extracting velvety structure and depth of flavor in the wines.

Vinification
Our intention is to create a concentrated, lush style of Chardonnay. That effort is checked somewhat by the leaner essence of Carneros. The crisp citrusy nature of the grapes denies the unctuousness associated with these stereotypical buttery-styled California wines. None the less, full malolactic, new oak barrel fermentation, and sur lie aging provides a rich contrast to our Estate Chardonnay and a fascinating exercise in wine styling.