Country: | United States |
Region: | Virginia |
Winery: | Annefield Vineyards |
Grape Type: | Chardonnay |
Vintage: | 2012 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Adelsheim Vineyard Chardonnay Staking Claim is made from 100% Chardonnay.
Review:
Grapefruit pith, flint, roasted almonds and toasted lemons here. It’s medium-bodied, flinty and gently toasty with bright acidity and a fresh, tight finish. Sustainable.
-James Suckling 92 Points
This chardonnay has a characteristic pale yellow color with a shade of gold and subtle nose that will remind you the fresh butter nuts and roasted almonds. On the palate, it is full bodied and fruity with a pleasant roundness.
Average age of the vines is 25 years old.
We produce a part of this cuvee with 12 hours skin maceration and another part from directly pressed grapes.
Wine was slightly filtered before bottling to insure the wine remains stable.
Best friend as an aperitive or with freshwater fish, shellfish and goat cheeses.
Ancien Chardonnay Carneros is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Chardonnay Carneros owes its style, depth, and structure to intensely flavored, low yielding, heirloom clones growing in two Carneros vineyards: on the Napa side, the Toyon Farm and on the Sonoma side, the Sangiacomo Vella Ranch. Ancien Wines hand-selected the cuttings themselves, from older vineyards in the Carneros area. These cuttings are reputed to have origins tracing to Paul Masson who imported them from Burgundy in the early 1940’s, from Louis Latour's renowned Corton Charlemagne vineyard. These selections are often referred to as “Old Wente”or “Robert Young,”denoting the sourced mother blocks in the 1960s.
Notes of ripe apple and honeydew melon greet and are delicately perfumed by notes of freesia and citrus blossom. Brighter notes of lime and Meyer lemon match the refreshing acidity of this wine, balanced by a creamy palate and leading to a finish that will continue to lengthen in the coming months. A wonderfully textured and vibrant Chardonnay displaying the best of Carneros.
Chardonnay Carneros is guided toward a layered, complex, and expressive style that develops gracefully in the bottle and shows enticing minerality, vivacious fruit, length and structure. The watchword is balance. Grapes were pressed as whole clusters, settled and fermented entirely in French oak from four different coopers, chosen for their unique synergism and support of the fruit on the palate. One third of the barrels were new. A variety of yeasts were used, including native strains, and fermentation proceeded evenly and slowly, averaging a cool 55°F. The wine was aged on its yeast lees, which were stirred weekly through the spring.
Ancien Chardonnay Coombsville Haynes Old Block is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Inspired by the classic and most revered Chardonnay vineyard in the world, Le Montrachet, Ancien winery utilizes the same classic techniques. It is fermented in tight-grained French Oak cask after a gentle squeeze as whole clusters. The wine is not moved through the fermentation and aging period, only pushed by inert gas in gentle fashion into the bottling tank. In vintages where the wine achieves good clarity through natural settling, the wine is not filtered – otherwise it undergoes a light polish to help reveal is core of fruit.
The effusive nose welcomes with layers of lemon meringue, ripe apple, citrus zest, honey and grape blossom. The palate is vibrant and fresh, and the richly textured mouth-feel is expansive. Baked apple tart and stone fruit emerge as this opulent wine reaches the depths of your palate, with further notes brioche. The finish is a focused amalgamation of minerality and ripe fruit. Give this cellar worthy Chardonnay time to open up and it will reveal increasingly lush and creamy layers as it evolves over minutes in the glass and the years in the bottle.
J. Christopher Appassionata Fortissimo Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Inspired by the three movements of Beethoven’s “Appassionata” Piano Sonata, there are three Appassionata Pinot Noirs, released at different tempos.
The finale of the Appassionata Pinot Sonata is Fortissimo (dynamically forceful). Selected for ultimate expressivity and longevity, it is not released until 10 years after the vintage. This is the epitome of expressive excellence that we are seeking in Willamette Valley Pinot Noir – a wine that combines brooding intensity with lilting grace and can stand alongside the classic wines of the world. The 2012 Fortissimo is muscular and full-bodied, with a deep color and seamless structure. In this phase of maturation, tertiary aromas begin to show a profound complexity and subtle earthiness that only develops with bottle age and cannot be accelerated
Review:
Loosen Bros. and J. Christopher Wines just released the Fortissimo and it is showing great acidity and fine-grained tannins. Its aromas and flavors of sweet red cherries, roasted pork shoulder and orange-pekoe tea are alive and kicking. Enjoy 2023–2032.
-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points
More intense than you might expect from an 11 year old Pinot Noir, certainly one that has been held back at the estate for 10 years before release. Grilled raspberry leaf and reductive smoky notes greet you on the nose here, with sweet black fruits softening the tangy red cherry and cranberry of Oregon Pinot, all wrapped up with waves of leather, sage and tobacco. This has power and succulence, and even at 10 years old it feels pretty young, just at the beginning of its development with a good decade ahead of it. Late release is an unusual approach in Oregon, but not so unusual if you follow Loosen’s winemaking in the Mosel, where he has been known to keep Riesling between 20 and 30 years in barrel. In this case the barrel ageing is for around two years, with the rest taking place in the bottle. Old fashioned winemaking, delicious results. 20% new oak. Fermented with natural yeast, unfiltered and unfined. Tim Malone winemaker. First time on the Place from this wine, from a vineyard in the foothills of the Chehalem Mountains in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Heavy bottle.
- Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux 97 Points
J. Christopher Appassionata Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Appassionata Chardonnay is the expressive summit of this classic Burgundian variety in the Willamette Valley. Fermented and matured in large (500-liter) oak casks, it rests on the full lees for two years before bottling. It then rests in our cellar for another year before its release, three years after vintage. The wine’s elegant texture, fine structure and extended maturation time ensure a long life for this vibrant Chardonnay.
Whole-cluster pressing; native yeast fermentation in 500-liter French oak barrels; natural malolactic fermentation; 21 months maturation on the lees.
Review:
Anyone questioning Chardonnay’s potential in the Willamette Valley should try this rich and sophisticated wine. A silky texture, is met with mouthfilling flavors of orange sorbet, pineapple and challah bread, as well as a hint of mint. The aromas of lemon curd and petrichor are equally delightful.
- Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
Our 2012 Chardonnay presents notes of apple and stone fruits like nectarine and peach. As it evolves in the glass, ripe citrus notes with a touch of tropical fruit and floral aromas like honeysuckle emerge from a bright vanilla background. Fruit forward with a subtle flint undertone, this wine presents a touch of minerality and a long, clean finish.
100% Chardonnay
Fermentation in Seasoned French Oak Barrels
Harvested in September 2012
Released: Spring 2013
pH: 3.44
Total Acidity: 6.2 g/Liter
Residual Sugar: 0.5%
Serve with oysters, smoked salmon, chicken, crab cakes -- whatever you like.
The Annefield Grape Varietals
AWHITE QUARTZ SAPPONY INDIAN arrowhead was found at the site, so we have christened this vineyard Arrowhead. The first three-acre vineyard planting is on Georgeville silt loam, which produces moderate vine vigor.
With our deep, well drained soils, hot summers, and relatively mild winters, the climate and soil in Charlotte County are perfect for grapevines. We are taking advantage of these great conditions and have selected grape varieties that flourish here and produce the best tasting wines. Our vineyard is situated at 500-ft. elevation in an area with excellent air drainage.
Ripening fruit at Annefield Vineyards
Ripening fruit at Annefield.
We are implementing all necessary vineyard practices to optimize the quality of our fruit. These include the use of the Vertical Shoot Positioning system to train the vines, shoot thinning and leaf pulling throughout early summer, two hedgings per season, and fruit thinning on vigorous varieties.
In April 2006, we planted our first three acres. We started with Viognier, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Viognier and Cabernet Franc were grafted onto 3309 Couderc rootstock, and the Cabernet Sauvignon grafted onto Millardet et de Grasset 101-14. Both were selected because they are less vigorous than other rootstocks and grow well in our rich Virginia clay:
Viognier – Viognier is a white grape from the Rhone Valley that makes full-bodied, powerfully perfumed, intensely floral, spicy wines. Its rich and complex aroma is like overripe apricots mixed with orange blossoms. Other descriptors are lime, honeysuckle, jasmine, ginger, and melon. Like Chardonnay, Viognier takes well to oak and to malolactic fermentation.
Cabernet Franc – One of the major red wine grapes of the Bordeaux region, Cabernet Franc is the leaner sibling of Cabernet Sauvignon and often blended with it, not only in France but in Meritage-style New World blends. On its own it is less full-bodied, less tannic and less acidic than Cabernet Sauvignon but it may be more aromatic, fruity, herbal, or vegetal. Cabernet Franc’s primary fruit aromas often suggest raspberry, cherry, strawberry and, especially, plum. It almost always shows a distinctive aroma of violets and a slightly spicy flavor. When it shows vegetal characters, they tend toward bell pepper or stems. With oak treatment, smoke, toast, and tar characters emerge. Extended bottle age promotes earth, mushroom, and cedar aromas.
Cabernet Sauvignon – Cabernet Sauvignon is often called the “king” of red wine grapes. In the great wines of the Medoc region of Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is always blended (with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and sometimes Petite Verdot and/or Malbec), while elsewhere in the world it may be blended, or bottled on its own. At its best, Cabernet Sauvignon produces wines of tremendous intensity and depth of flavor. It can be firmly tannic and it usually shows dark purple color, firm acidity, full body, and concentrated flavors. It has an affinity for oak and often spends a year or more in barrel, gaining vanilla, toffee, cedar, and/or coconut flavors. Typical fruit aromas of Cabernet Sauvignon are black currant, blackberry, plum, and black cherry with occasional notes of rhubarb or prune. Herbal notes of pepper, asparagus, green or black olive, mint/menthol/eucalyptus and spice notes of ginger, oregano and anise might be found. The particular appeal of Cabernet Sauvignon, however, lies less in its fruit aromas and more in the subtle flavors that develop with years of bottle aging and the complex interaction between the fruit, tannins, fermentation, alcohol and oak.
In 2011, we will plant three additional varietals: Vermentino, Pinot Grigio and Vidal Blanc, all grafted onto Millardet et de Grasset 101-14.
Vermentino – With its bright acidity, aromas of citrus leaf and mineral, and refreshing finish, this grape will most likely become a favorite at Annefield Vineyards. This late-ripening white grape variety is primarily found in Italian wine, though it is thought to be Spanish in origin. Grown in several countries bordering the Mediterranean, its best known examples come from Northern Italy, particularly in the region of Liguria, and the island of Sardinia, where the wines are crisp, citrusy and generally unoaked. It is also the most widely planted white grape on the island of Corsica, where high altitude and hot climate vineyards produce more full-bodied wines with heady floral aromas. On the French mainland the grape is known as Rolle, where it is found in Côtes de Provence and Languedoc. Vermentino is a vigorous grower, resistant to drought, and usually ripens towards the middle of the harvest cycle. The wine is usually a pale straw color and relatively low in alcohol, with crisp acids, citrus-leaf aromatics, and pronounced minerality. Vermentino shows flavors of green apple and lime, heightened by refreshing acidity, good richness and medium body.
Pinot Grigio – Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris, as it is known in France, is a white wine variety that is thought to be a mutant clone of Pinot Noir. We know of it from the Middle Ages in Burgundy, where it was probably called Fromenteau. It spread from Burgundy to Switzerland by 1300. Reportedly the grape was a favorite of Emperor Charles IV, who had cuttings imported to Hungary by Cistercian monks. In Italy, Pinot Grigio is found in Lombardy around Oltrepo Pavese and in Alto Adige, Italy’s northernmost wine region. The grape is also prominent in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. The grape was popular in Burgundy and Champagne until the 19th century, but poor yields and unreliable crops caused it to fall out of favor in those areas. The same fate nearly occurred in Germany, but vine breeders in the early 20th century were able to develop clones that would produce a more consistent and reliable crop. For our planting we chose two French clones propagated by the Foundation Plant Services at the University of California, Davis; these are intended to complement each another, for one has a mineral, steely quality (Clone 9), and the other is more fruity and complex (Clone 4). A marriage of the two should produce a wine that tastes strongly of stone fruit and citrus with a flinty, mineral edge.
Vidal Blanc – Vidal Blanc has proven to be among the most versatile varietals in North American viticulture. Vidal Blanc is a hybrid bred from the crossing of the over-productive and under flavored Ugni Blanc (known as Trebbiano in Italy) and an older hybrid, Rayon d’Or. Vidal’s high, natural acidity makes it suitable for a wide range of styles, from light and crisp with racy acid, to slightly off-dry, to Ice Wine. The grape is well suited to cold climates, due to its mid-season ripening and its ability to produce good crops from secondary buds in the event of a late spring frost Vidal produces large clusters of thick-skinned berries, and ultimately, wines with fruity floral characteristics, with grapefruit and pineapple notes. The grape’s thick skin allows this varietal to thrive in Virginia.
Annefield Vineyard:
MUCH OF THE ROCK AND SOIL AT Annefield derives from weathering of the Precambrian rocks that underlie much of the county. Rocks formed during the Precambrian era are between 4.5 billion and 560 million years old. Eons of weathering of these Precambrian rocks have given rise to the Wissahickon schist and gneiss formations, which merge with rocks composed of volcanic material in the area. These complex formations underlie the Georgeville and Herndon loam soil series that is well represented at the farm.
Annefield Vineyards: The first vineyard block is planted in Georgeville series soil.
The first vineyard block is planted in Georgeville series soil.
Although the farm’s soil appears consistent on the surface, there are actually four different classifications of soil on the property:
Georgeville – The Georgeville series consists of deep, well drained soils that have a red clayey layer in the subsoil. These soils are undulating to hilly and are on uplands. They formed in material weathered from metamorphosed sedimentary rock. These soils are strongly acid or very strongly acid subsoil and are low in natural fertility.
Herndon – The Herndon series consists of deep, well drained undulating and rolling soils on uplands. These soils formed in the weathered products of metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks. These soils have a strongly acid to very strongly acid subsoil and are low in natural fertility.
Annefield Vineyards: Note the mixture of clay and weathered rock in the Cabernet Sauvignon block.
Note the mixture of clay and weathered rock in the Cabernet Sauvignon block. Orange – The Orange series consists of deep, somewhat poorly drained to moderately well drained soils that have a very plastic, clayey layer in the subsoil. These soils are undulating to rolling and are on uplands. They formed in material weathered from greenstone, slate and other fine-grained basic rocks. These soils have a medium acid to neutral subsoil and are low to medium in natural fertility.
Appling – The Appling series consists of deep, well drained soils that have a clayey layer in the subsoil. These are undulating to hilly soils on uplands. They formed in the weathered products of acid igneous and metamorphic rocks. Appling soils have a strongly acid to very strongly acid subsoil and are low in natural fertility.
Grand Veneur Chateauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is made from 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah
Matured in concrete vats (40%) and oak casks (60%)
It boasts an inky/purple color in addition to a gorgeous perfume of crushed rocks, jammy black fruits, charcoal and graphite. Blackberry aroma with an air of dates pressed in alongside – this is sweet-noted. It is easy to appreciate, a sleek and stylish start. The palate holds excellent fruit that runs well and has kick. Its tannins move round freely and a minted finale comes forward. Its dark fruit is tasty, darkens on the finish, where tar and char from its oak enter. It is all very much together, a bundle of harmony, and will gain local attributes as it ages.
An outstanding Chateauneuf du Pape which display the best of its terroir.
The vines are 50 to 100+ year old. They are planted on red clay soils covered with pebble stones.
Harvest is destemmed and crushed. Fermentation temperature is controlled at 30°C. Vatting period of 18 to 20 days. Matured in concrete vats (40%) and oak casks (60%).
The vineyards are located in the north of Châteauneuf du Pape. GRAND VENEUR «Vieilles Vignes» cuvee is produced from the older vines. Thanks to time and an organic growing, roots go very deep in the soil. Yields are naturally low and grapes highly concentrated.
The vines are 50 to 100+ year old. They are planted on red clay soils covered with pebble stones.
Winemaking and aging
Harvest is destemmed and crushed. Fermentation temperature is controlled at 30°C. Vatting period of 18 to 20 days. Matured in concrete vats (40%) and oak casks (60%).
Pair with venisson, duck, braised lamb or strong cheese.
Review:
"The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is based on 45% each of Grenache and Mourvèdre, with the balance Syrah, all destemmed and raised in 55% new French oak. Gorgeous cassis, violet, graphite, fruitcake, and peppery herbs define this brilliant effort, and it's full-bodied, with a pure, seamless texture, wonderful tannins, and one heck of a great finish. This magical 2019 is going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age (it's brilliant even today) yet keep for 20 years or more. Châteauneuf du Pape lovers need to have this in their cellar!"
- Jeb Dunnuck (November 2021),99 pts
The inviting nose offers up scents of Santa Rosa red plums, cassis, dried sweet figs and pomegranate backed by sandalwood and hints of tea rose. Bright and exciting on the palate, the entry begins with firm tannins and complex layers of red raspberries, bergamot tea, dried herbs and rose petal notes. Refreshing acidity carries the wine throughout the finish.
To match with the juicy acidity and bright nature of this wine, we offer up a vegan recipe for Spicy Quinoa with Asparagus and Shiitake Mushrooms. The shiitakes are a classic pairing with Pinot Noir, but when combined with the spicy ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper, all melds beautifully into a dish that pairs seamlessly with the 2020 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.
Review:
Aromas of spiced cherry, plum and fresh mint. Medium-to full-bodied with silky tannins. An interesting, well-balanced mix of fresh red and black fruit and savory spice. Good concentration. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling
The 2020 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is ripe with raspberry candy, crushed rose petal, and turned earth. The tannins in the 2020 are a touch more present and emerge on the finish, and it also has more warmth. Drink this over the next 10 years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points