2013 Y Block Chardonnay

2013 Y Block Chardonnay
Santa Barbara County
NOTES This is classic, cool climate Chardonnay made in a
traditional and balanced style. The aromas show a complex array of
citrus, pears, nutmeg and vanilla with just a hint of nice toasty oak.
In the mouth, the wine is completely dry…you will never find
residual sugar in a Qupé Chardonnay! This is an elegant and
structured wine that will benefit nicely with age.
VINEYARD This wine is 97% Chardonnay and 3% Viognier,
primarily from grapes grown at Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa
Maria Valley. The majority of the Bien Nacido grapes come from
the “Y Block”, a custom block planted exclusively for Qupé
directly behind the winery on sand and gravel river bench type
soils. 2013 was a beautiful vintage with perfect weather throughout
the growing season and an abundant but balanced crop. The
biggest challenge to the vintage was logistics, as this was the second
large harvest in a row - we were challenged to find enough barrel
space! We scrambled and made it all work.
WINEMAKING This wine is a blend of eleven different lots that
were harvested beginning on September 4th and didn’t finish until
October 28th - the longest start to finish ever for this wine! Sugars
ranged from 22.1° to 25.4° brix and everything in between. We had
great pH and acidities as well. All of the lots were whole cluster
pressed, chilled overnight in tank, and then transferred with most of
the lees to barrels for fermentation. We use Francois Freres French
oak barrels from Burgundy, with about 15% new oak. The wine was
aged for 9 months, on lees, and completed maloloactic fermentation.
BOB LINDQUIST, WINEMAKER
ALCOHOL: 13.5% • 97% CHARDONNAY, 3% VIOGNER