2020 “Boon Fly's Hill” Chardonnay
TASTING NOTES
Vibrant aromas of candied citrus, pineapple and fresh mandarin orange. Rich and supple mouthfeel. Toasted baguette with hints of honeycomb. Firm acidity. Think baked apple galette with its melted sugar. Lingers on finish with warm baking spices.
HISTORY
Poseidon Vineyard, located at the confluence of Carneros Creek and the Napa River, was planted in 1973 by the Molnar Family to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The maritime environment of the Carneros region delivers cool, foggy mornings followed by warm days that slowly nurture ripening. Rising at the southernmost edge of the vineyard is the small, gravelly “Boon Fly's Hill” that overlooks the Napa Valley Marina; boats bob in the water just a few steps away. Boon Fly was a colorful character from the 19th century that legend has it lived on this hill. This two-acre block of vines ripens earlier than the rest of our Chardonnay blocks, a result of the naturally low crop that sets in this well-drained soil. Clusters are smaller here, and so are the berries themselves. Because the vines are more exposed, the sun-kissed fruit develops the ripe, rich flavors that make this wine so opulent.
VINTAGE 2020
The season began with ideal conditions through the Spring and early Summer, without any major frost or heat events, allowing for uniform development and ripening. Yet few wines were produced in an infamous year notable for a global pandemic and multiple wildfires in the North Coast. Lightening-sparked fires in mid August fortunately had minimal impact on our vineyards, allowing us to harvest high-quality fruit from early-ripening varieties. Severe regional fires in late September, however, brought the season to an abrupt end.
WINEMAKING
The fruit was harvested at dawn and pressed whole-cluster, the juice immediately placed in 100% new Kádár Hungarian oak barrels. The barrels are quickly placed into a cold room where long, drawn-out primary and secondary fermentations allow for the lees to contribute creamy flavors to the wine. After nine months, the wine is racked off clean to neutral barrels and aged an additional six months before bottling, unfined and lightly filtered
Alex Beloz, Winemaker