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Gary Farrell Winery
Russian River Selection Chardonnay 2021
Russian River Valley, California
The Russian River Selection bottlings are quintessential Russian River Valley wines blended from some of the winery’s top vineyard sources. They are beautiful expressions of their varietal type and of the appellation’s unique terroir, each blend capturing the richness, purity and elegance that are Gary Farrell Winery’s trademarks. This layered and complex Chardonnay brings together fruit from several of our favorite Russian River Valley vineyard sites.
VINEYARD
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The Russian River Selection bottlings are quintessential Russian River Valley wines blended from some of the winery’s top vineyard sources. They are beautiful expressions of their varietal type and of the appellation’s unique terroir, each blend capturing the richness, purity and elegance that are Gary Farrell Winery’s trademarks. This layered and complex Chardonnay brings together fruit from several of our favorite Russian River Valley vineyard sites. Anchored by the naturally balanced character of Westside Farms and intriguing floral and stone fruit notes from Bacigalupi Vineyard, the wine’s great concentration and structure derive from the nearby Rochioli and Allen vineyards. Olivet Lane Vineyard, featuring the Wente clone, adds refreshing citrus tones and excellent acidity.
Westside Farms, Bacigalupi
Vineyard– Goddard Ranch,
Olivet Lane Vineyard, Rochioli
Vineyard, Allen Vineyard,
Lazy W Vineyard, Martinelli
Vineyard– Parnell Ranch,
Pratt – Cornerstone Vineyard
WINEMAKING
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The grapes were harvested in the cool morning hours at ~21-23° Brix. A quick pass was made through our rows a few days prior to harvest in order to drop fruit that didn’t express the optimal flavor concentration. As anticipated, the grapes that were delivered to the winery were packed with delicious, vibrant, varietally expressive characteristics. After a very careful hand-sorting, all the fruit was combined in the press, and used a gentle program to extract only the most desirable solids and phenolics. The resulting juice was left in tank to cold-settle overnight before transferring to 30% new and 70% one to three-year-old neutral French oak barrels and puncheons for fermentation and aging, where it remained for 9 months on its primary lees until it was time to bottle in June. The wines were racked off the primary lees only once, just before bottling.
VINTAGE
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2021 was a spectacular vintage. It was a drought year, so Mother Nature was responsible for trimming yields and producing a plentiful and beautifully balanced crop. This was a nice contrast compared to previous drought years when the crop was very small and the wines were more muscular. In 2021, the clusters were medium in size and the berries were plump with a good number of seeds, excellent skin to juice ratio and beautiful acidity. The summer months had beautiful ripening weather with very few heat spikes, allowing the grapes to ripen evenly, while having time to develop lots of flavor. Veraison began in mid to late July and the weather from that point until harvest was perfectly moderate yielding excellent hang time and world class wines.
TASTING NOTE
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This incredibly aromatic Russian River Chardonnay boasts fresh, lifted aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, green apple and honeydew melon. The palate unfolds with flavors of roasted nectarine, Meyer lemon, ginger-honey brioche, lime zest and a just fleck of hazelnut adds layers of richness and complexity. The finish is bright and crisp, with a rich, creamy texture that carries through to the tangy, persistent finish.
Color
White
Grape Varieties
Chardonnay
Appellation
Russian River Valley, California
Alcohol
13.5%
Reviews
"Nervy acidity"
Wine Enthusiast - December 1, 2023 "A flinty aroma, nervy acidity and lean, crisp fruit flavors give this medium-bodied wine a restrained expression at first, as notes of minerals and smoke dominate light tastes of green apples. The wine opens in the glass to show greater depth and breadth with more sipping." —J.G. 12/23
"Apple and salted melon notes"
Wine Spectator - April 16, 2024 "This shows good concentration and complexity, with honeysuckle, caramelized pineapple and lemon blossom aromatics up front, backed by juicy peach, apple and salted melon notes. Details of toffee, marzipan and dried herbs linger at the end." —M.W. 4/24
More on Gary Farrell Winery Russian River Selection Chardonnay 2021
Theresa Heredia Nominated as Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine
January 21, 2023 - On September 14th, Wine Enthusiast announced their nominees for their Wine Star Awards and amongst them is Gary Farrell Winery Director of Winemaking Theresa Heredia for Winemaker of the Year.…
Trade Materials
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Other Wines by this Producer
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Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir
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Named for its previous owners, the 100-acre Hallberg Vineyard is today owned and managed by wine industry veterans including vineyard manager Kirk Lokka. Nestled in the Green Valley sub-appellation, the site enjoys refreshing daytime breezes and cool nighttime temperatures. The strong marine influence means less severe daily temperature shifts so the vines never completely shut down, producing fruit with deep, dark color, great structure, silky tannins, darker fruit flavors and earthy characteristics. This blend is a composition of many of the best blocks on this cool, foggy vineyard site, which include clones 667, 777, 828, Pommard and a mysterious “suitcase” selection.
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Russian River Selection Pinot Noir
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The Russian River Selection bottlings are quintessential Russian River Valley wines blended from some of the region’s top vineyards, taking advantage of varied climates and unique site characteristics. Undoubtedly showcasing a beautiful expression of the varietal and of the appellation’s unique terroir, this Pinot Noir blend captures the richness, purity and elegance that are Gary Farrell Winery’s trademarks.
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Olivet Lane Chardonnay
Russian River Valley, California
Pellegrini’s Olivet Lane Vineyard was planted in 1975 to Wente selection on AXR rootstock. The vineyard sits on 65 acres of sloping bench land in the Santa Rosa Plain, in between the warmer Westside Road region and the cooler Green Valley,where warm summer days are moderated by cool breezes and chilly evening temperatures. The combination of low temperatures, regular fog intrusion and well drained loam, clay soils create an excellent environment for growing Chardonnay that develop cool-climate characteristics and impeccable acid at fairly low sugars.The wines from this vineyard simultaneously express power and finesse, and they do so with tremendous balance.