1979 Napa Valley Chardonnay
Winemaker's Notes
The summer of 1979 ended in a solar blast similar to 1978. Most of the Chardonnay harvest had been completed by the middle of the heat spell and the ultimate results were classically balanced sugar-acid ratios in physiologically mature fruit.
Vintage Weather
Cool. Early spring heat waves caused uneven set. Cool growing season, followed by rains at harvest. Early picking resulted in well-balanced, clean fruit.
Tasting Notes
This year, a more floral-like variety aroma blends with the hints of spice and toasty oak volatiles. On the palate, acid, body, and varietal flavors merge to a light silken finish. Every winemaker hopes for a vintage that produces an apparent lightness (balance) coupled with substance and complexity in the aftertaste. It happened in 1979.
Jerry E. Luper, Winemaker
Technical Data:
| Harvest Dates: | Sept. 13 to Sept. 22 |
| Bottling Date: | August 1980 |
| Release Date: | September 1981 |
| Appellation: | Napa Valley |
| Time in Oak: | 6 months |
| Sugar at Harvest: | 23.6° brix |
| Alcohol: | 13.9% |
| Total Acidity: | .73 g/100ml |
