Gary Farrell Winery

Russian River Selection Chardonnay 2022

Russian River Valley, California

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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.

VINEYARD

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

The grapes were harvested in the cool morning hours at ~21-22.8° Brix. A quick pass was made through the rows a few days prior to harvest to drop fruit that didn’t express the optimal flavor and 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, they combined all the fruit 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 10 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

The 2022 winter was cold and dry, and spring followed was warm and sunny with the exception of a frost episode and a hailstrom in April.

TASTING NOTE

“This beautifully aromatic Russian River Chardonnay delivers aromas of fresh orchard fruits, honeydew melon and ripe lemon. The palate is richly layered with flavors of roasted nectarine, lime zest, crushed ginger, and baked lemon custard. The finish is bright and crisp, with a satisfyingly creamy texture that carries through to the tangy, persistent finish.” – Theresa Heredia Director of Winemaking

Color

White

Grape Varieties

Chardonnay

Appellation

Russian River Valley, California

Alcohol

13.5%

Suggested Retail Price

$48

Other Wines by this Producer

Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir

Russian River Valley, California

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.

Russian River Selection Pinot Noir

Russian River Valley, California

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.

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.