THE WINES - Chardonnay

Grown on the Jones' Ranch in the mid Suisun Valley area
Vines planted by Steve in 1996
St. George rootstock, Unknown clone, particularly small bunches and low yields
 Vertical Trellis, minimum irrigation

Winemaker - Abe Schoener with Steve Tenbrink as trainee

A serious treasure hunt, and even after finding the prize,
It takes opening layer upon layer to find the fruit at the center.
Fruit harvested in small quantities over an 8 day span. Refrigerated extended fermentation.
During the 9 month gestation it was never racked or sulfured.
100% neutral French oak  - allowed to oxidize somewhat  a 100  case project.

Steve Tenbrink as an internship project and Abe Schoener consultant

Sun-glazed fruit as a first course.
Allowed to ferment at a high temperature to preserve that sassiness.
Used higher quality grapes and protected the fermentation from oxygen.
100% neutral F.O. very leesy  a 200 case project.

Back under Abe Schoener's tutelege

A different year, a different wine.  Nothing like either of the previous vintages, yet elements of each incorporated.
Because we were now committed to making great Chardonnay.
We selected special rows for our own winemaking use and spent more detailed time and growing practices upon them, including not using herbicides on those rows back to serious study - complex -very little racking, very little oxidation, purposely left lots of lees.
 70% neutral/30% new F.O.
A 150 case project.