The Daily Herald highlighted Gary Farrell Olivet Lane Chardonnay in a recent wine column. The piece focused on the evolution of Chardonnay and styles of the grape.
Writer Mary Ross warns readers that Gary Farrell’s Olivet Lane single vineyard Chardonnay is so “statuesque, supple and richly-fleshed” that it may ruin all other chardonnays for them. Continuing, “long, slow ripening in this cool, foggy vineyard developed perfectly ripe fruit (for me, yellow apple) and invigorating acid, all at low sugar resulting in 13.8% alcohol. A gentle press extracted desirable flavors, leaving bitterness behind. The juice was fermented in an assortment of barrels (65% reused and neutral in flavor), where it rested for nine months on the lees, for a dusting of brown spice accents.”
Ross also speaks to great food pairing options for this wine, which you can read HERE
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Gary Farrell Winery
Gary Farrell Winery Olivet Lane Chardonnay 2018
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.
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Gary Farrell Winery
Russian River Valley, California
For over 40 years, Gary Farrell Winery has crafted small-lot artisan wines capturing balance and stylistic elegance from some of the finest vineyard sites in the Russian River Valley. Since 2014, the current owners have been dedicated to enhancing Gary Farrell’s legacy with a single-minded focus on quality, relying on rigorous vineyard selection, outstanding grower relationships and superior quality fruit.