Release Date: Fall 1990

I’m delighted to see the rise in prominence of Edna Valley Chardonnays.  1987 and 1988 are two vintages that caused a lot of wine enthusiasts to notice the distinctive quality of Chardonnay from this pastoral valley.

Cooling afternoon winds during the summer make for a long growing season and some pretty difficult farming, yet create the ideal environment for ripening Chardonnay grapes. It seems fine winegrowing is always on the margins of tolerance. Dazzling complexity of pineapple, guava and banana are brought out by the talented hand of our grower, Andy MacGregor.

The crop was dramatically reduced by poor flowing during the spring of ’88 and yields were off by one-third.  As a result, this vintage is power packed with nicely integrated acidity. Barrel fermented and aged in French burgundy barrels, it should provide superb drinking over the next three to four years.