Our Pinot Blanc was whole clustered pressed with nocrushing or de- stemming of the grapes. We aged the wine for 10 months in French oak barrels to enhance the finish. We’ve found that leaving the wine on the lees adds the signature hazelnut character typical of Chalone white wines and builds mouth feel and finish. The result is a wine with intense fruit aromas of peaches, pears, and hints of mango and citrus. Chalone Pinot Blanc is the ultimate comfort food wine and goes great with fried chicken, mac & cheese or crab cakes.
Food pairing
Macaroni and cheese, fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy . . . whatever comfort food you like is the perfect accompaniment for this wine. Don`t forget to try it with fresh cracked crab or other flavorful seafood.
Producer
Perched high on the western slopes of the remote Gavilan Mountain Range, 1,800 feet above California’s Salinas Valley, Chalone Vineyard represents a singular convergence of terroir and winemaking. Here thin, well-drained limestone-based soils combine with a sunny, wind-cooled microclimate and limited rainfall to produce fruit of unique richness and character that demonstrate this vineyard’s typicity. Originally planted in 1919, the vineyard’s ability to yield benchmark Chardonnay was discovered when Chalone Wine Group cofounder Dick Graff made his first vintage here in 1966. The time-honored Burgundian techniques he introduced complement the fruit’s inimitable character to create the full bouquet and hedonistic flavors that are Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay’s hallmarks.
