2023
Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Napa Valley
New Release
The 2023 Pahlmeyer Chardonnay is a bright, fresh expression of our mountain fruit, offering remarkable precision and depth. Aromatically, it is highly expressive, with notes of honeysuckle, orange blossom, and preserved lemon, deepening into a core of tangerine and apricot. A touch of toasted almond and a subtle flinty note add further complexity. On the palate, this Chardonnay balances intensity with elegance – finely detailed and in perfect focus. Its acidity is vibrant and mouthwatering, lifting the layers of citrus and stone fruit while lending a seamless, silky texture. A long, polished finish echoes with hints of warm honey and citrus zest.
— Winemaker Katie Vogt
100% Chardonnay
- Winemaker
- Katie Vogt
- Alcohol
- 14.4%
- Harvested Start Date
- September 12, 2023
- Harvested End Date
- October 7, 2023
- Bottled Date
- August 2024
- Release Date
- March 2025
Winemaking Notes
We picked our Chardonnay from high-elevation vineyards in Napa Valley and select blocks in Carneros during the cool of the night. Each whole cluster was meticulously hand sorted at the winery before pressing, and the two press cuts were segregated and aged separately. The juice naturally settled in stainless steel tanks until ready to rack to barrel. Our top lots were racked to new French oak barrels where they completed primary fermentation via partially native yeasts. After primary fermentation, the lots remained on lees and were stirred up to three times per week through malolactic fermentation to create a rich, luscious texture. Selected lots were racked off heavy lees, blended in tank, then returned to barrel for final aging. The wine continued to age on lees in 90% new French oak barrels (52% Francois Feres, 30% Remond, 8% Gauthier, 7% Chassin, and 3% LeGrand) for 12 months and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
“Waters, Stagecoach, Antica, and Hyde are all sources for this Chardonnay, fermented in barrel and aged for 10 months in 90% new French oak, mostly François Frères heavy toast. A cool vintage that allowed for extended hang time without rapid Brix jumps or premature evolution, achieving perfect ripeness with depth and intensity of flavour and aroma. The acid tension is off the charts, shining through in this blend by Katie Vogt. A bright, fresh, and rich Chardonnay with layers of elegant citrus, refined stone and orchard fruit, leading into flamed pineapple, tangerine peel, and expressive ginger. A melted, warm honeyed texture builds, underpinned by firm tension that carries the long finish of tasty brioche and more candied ginger character.”
