Rodney Strong Vineyards/Chardonnays/Compare and Contrast

We will be enjoying a great tasting today,with Greg Morthole. These are very interesting features.We should look into the tasting notes first and learn about the great wine making team at Rodney Strong Vineyards. Greg Morthole attended the University of Wyoming, where he earned a B.S. in Natural Sciences. He entered the wine industry as a Laboratory Analyst at Vinquiry in Windsor, California, then moved to Chalk Hill Winery in 2003 to become an Enologist. Greg joined the Rodney Strong Vineyards team in 2005, when he accepted a position as Lab Director. His innate acumen for winemaking became immediately clear to his peers, and he quickly ascended to an appointment as Associate Winemaker in late 2007. In the spring of 2010, he was promoted to Winemaker, overseeing all aspects of operations and winemaking in our “Winery Within the Winery.” With a quiet demeanor and a determined attitude, Greg’s energetic style illustrates how enjoyable he finds wine making to be. “Making the Reserve and Single-Vineyard wines here is an honor,” he says. Let's start with the Sonoma coast Chardonnay. This Chardonnay has wonderful citrus, tropical fruit and white floral aromas. On the palate this wine is bursting with crisp apple, lemon and vanilla notes with refreshing and bright acidity. Second the Chalk Hill Chardonnay .The wine was barrel fermented in new French Oak creating creaminess and spice complexities on the palate. We regularly stirred the lees during the 12 months of barrel aging to add richness and texture. toasty vanilla and spice complexities, with an elegant fullness and creamy texture on the palate. In the glass, the wine is both creamy and crisp, with golden delicious yellow apple, baked pie spices with a hint of minerality on the long finish. Maybe we should open the Reserve Chardonnay also. The 2014 Reserve Chardonnay has wonderful aromas of baked apple, pineapple and baking spices. On the palate the creamy lemon meringue and nutmeg notes are well balanced by crisp acidity and a rich mouth feel. Food pairings Enjoy this Chardonnay now with cheese raviolis with cream sauce, herb crusted halibut, roasted chicken, or cellar it for enjoyment over the next 3 to 5 years. The Vineyards A mild, dry winter followed by a replenishing amount of rain in February and early March of 2014 encouraged the vine buds to push a little earlier than normal. The spring was warm, dry and frost free, thankfully. Overcast days became the norm in late July and August, helping to preserve berry acidity. Higher than average yields proved fortuitous in slowing the pace of ripening as the 2014 growing season would register to be the warmest in many years. We picked the Garfield Chardonnay on September 17, with the clone 15 coming in at 23.0 brix and the clone 76 at 24.0 brix. The acidity was perfect, the flavors were complex, plus we dodged a little sprinkling of rain that fell that evening. Cheers! I think we are ready! Click here and join us as I know you love Chardonnays.