California Chardonnay wine Joullian Monterey Chardonnay 2005 has a brilliant, green-tinted straw gold color. Floral honeysuckle,Asian pear, lychee and roasted grain aromas perfume the nose. An elegant, round, pear-apple entry expands into a fruity, lime, Granny Smith apple and minerally midpalate that finishes crisply with nuances of citrus, green apples, and hazelnut. This California Chardonnay wine is sourced from some of the oldest and most renowned vineyards in the cool Santa Lucia Highlands and Arroyo Seco appellations. RogerRose and Vinco Vineyards are planted to the aromatic, smooth-textured Dijon Chardonnay vines. The 30 year-old River Road, La Reina and Sleepy Hollow properties contribute power, backbone, and longevity to the blend. All lots are barrel fermented with multiple yeast strains, which are stirred every 2 weeks for 2-4 months, and aged sur lie until bottling. Simultaneous yeast and malolactic fermentations are encouraged to minimize one-dimensional butterscotch flavors and maximize texture while allowing the fruit to shine through. Aged in tight-grained French oak barrels coopered from stave wood that is cured for 3 years, the overt oakiness is reduced while enhancing fruit, typicity and mouthfeel. After a year of bottle age, 2005 Monterey California Chardonnay displays great aromatics, suppleness and length on the palate. Enjoy it today, or age it until the end of 2009 in a cool cellar for added aromatics, richness and complexity. It goes great with roast chicken, quail or Cornish game hen as well as salmon, halibut, sea bass and pastas with cream sauces.

Early in 1981, Joullian Vineyards purchased 655 acres of hillside benchland at an elevation of 1400 feet, in the heart of the remote Carmel Valley, Monterey County California viticulture appellation. Following extensive contouring and terracing, 40 acres of high density-spaced vines were planted in the rocky Arroyo Seco series loam. The planting emphasized Bordeaux varieties and allocated two-thirds of the vineyard to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The remaining 13 acres, originally allotted to Chardonnay, were grafted to pre-prohibition Zinfandel selections throughout the 1990’s. Pursuing complexity in the wines, Watson planted a variety of vines from reputed sources such as Sterling, Mount Veeder, 3 Palms, Ventana and Lytton Springs. The winery, completed in the Spring of 1991, was designed to handle each vineyard block separately to insure that the complex subtleties and nuances produced in the field be transferred into the bottle.

Joullian Chardonnay 2005 Information:
Varietal Content: 100% Chardonnay
Vineyard Sources: 39% RogerRose, Arroyo Seco 28% Vinco, Santa Lucia Highlands 12% La Reina, Santa Lucia Highlands 9% Sleepy Hollow, Santa Lucia Highlands 12% River Road, Santa Lucia Highlands
Appellation/AVA: Monterey County
Harvest Date: September 29 - November 2, 2005
Sugar At Harvest: 24.7° Brix
Fermentation: 100% Barrel-fermented with multiple strains of Burgundian yeast. 85% Malolactic fermentation
Barrel Aging: 9 months sur lie in 20% new French oak barrels
Alcohol: 14.1%
Total Acidity/pH: 6.6g/L; 3.44
Residual Sugar: Dry (0.05%)
Total Production: 4054 cases: 750ml; 20 cases: 1.5L; 18 bottles: 5.0L
Release Date: August, 2006