Release Date: Fall 2013

The difference between this wine and our Estate Chardonnay lies solely on a curious practice sometimes used in the making of renowned white Burgundies.

As we get ready to bottle the Estate Chardonnay – which has been aging in the cellar on its original sediments for ten months – we separate eleven barrels from the blend and stir them, incorporating all of the lees into the wine. Then we pump them into a stainless steel tank and hold the wine for another ten months. During this time all of the sediments (mainly yeast lees) are magically absorbed into the wine, similar to the process of making Champagne.

Antonio Galloni, formerly with the Wine Advocate, now writing for his own website Vinous, says:

96pts~2009 Mount Eden Chardonnay, Reserve
The 2009 Chardonnay Reserve shows the Mount Eden style at its very best. A rich, seamless wine, the 2009 Reserve balances textural richness and elegance. Seemingly endless layers of fruit caress the palate in a silky, utterly polished Chardonnay that should drink well for at least 10-15 years. This is a magnificent showing from Mount Eden and proprietor Jeffrey Patterson.