Wine Color: White

Vintage: 2006

Varietals: 97% Chardonnay, 3% Gewürztraminer

Appellation: 87% Arroyo Seco, Monterey 13% Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay

Winemaker: Karl D. Wente

Alcohol: 13.5%

PH: 3.60

Acid: 0.58 g/100ml

Residual Sugar: 0.7%

Vineyard:

Arroyo Seco is widely regarded as one of the best places in California to
grow Chardonnay.  Riva Ranch is the name of the Wente family’s vineyard in Arroyo
Seco, where we have been growing Chardonnay since the 1960’s.  Wente Vineyards
was the first California winery to produce a wine labeled as Chardonnay in 1936. 
Today, many of the great Chardonnay vineyards in California are planted with the
Wente Clone.  Riva Ranch is presently planted to three Dijon clones and two Wente
clones: clone 2A which had been originally selected for it’s intense varietal character
and low yield, and clone 4, a second generation Wente clone.  The cool growing
season and the deep gravelly soil ripen the Chardonnay perfectly, creating a natural
balance of sugar and acid.

Fermentation:

90% of this wine was barrel fermented, with the balance in stainless
steel.  After primary fermentation, the wine was allowed to naturally undergo
malolactic fermentation.

Aging:

The wine was aged sur lie for 12 months in new American oak barrels. 
Battonage, the stirring of the barrels, was performed monthly.