Release Date: Fall 2009

Believe it or not, this vintage is at last calming down and getting interesting. A full two years after bottling—typical, puzzling and amazing.

Many things came together in 2006: Record cold winter weather gave good dormancy to our sleeping vines; abundant rainfall in the winter and spring which is important since we don’t irrigate; and gentle temperatures throughout the spring and summer allowing the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly.

Fermented on wild yeast in new and one-year old Burgundy barrels, this chardonnay is aged entirely on these yeast sediments for ten months in our mountain cave with no movement whatsoever. It was bottled in July with a light filtration for clarity.

This is a subtle wine with hints of toasty lees, lanolin, lime zest in the nose and high natural acidity with lively herb, citrus, mineral flavors on the palate. Burgundian in style, it is somewhat contrasting with 2004 and 2005 which are more flamboyant. As expected, the finish is rich, long and mysterious. Given the slow evolving nature of the 2006, expect further improvement for the next four to five years and a drinking plateau for at least another ten.