The transverse west-east orientation of
this western, cool part of the valley
provides a near-perfect place to grow
elegant Burgundian winegrape varietals
such as Chardonnay. Each morning a marine
fog blankets the vineyard, lifting to
brilliant sunshine mid-morning. Like clockwork,
sea breezes arrive in early afternoon
to maintain the cool climate and aerate
the vineyard canopy. Rain is minimal during
the long growing season, which often begins
with bud break in February and continues
through harvest in October. All of these
factors contribute to grapes of quality,
distinction and variety purity from the
Huber Vineyard.
 Very
crisp in zesty acidity, bone dry, and
with exotic flavors. This stony, minerally
Chardonnay impresses for its firm structure.
Flavorwise, it’s explosive in lemons,
limes, crunchy pears, Asian spices and
buttery vanilla, even though it’s
unoaked. Showcases its terroir in a fine
way. 90 points
2005 was an incredible vintage –
beautiful ripening and larger than normal
yields. The bountiful harvest allowed
vintner Norman Huber and winemaker Norm
Yost to craft a new addition to the Huber
Cellars wine family – an unoaked
Chardonnay. This new wine is purely about
the fruit, and has no influence from barrels
or malolactic fermentation; it is the
essence of the vineyard. A cold and long
fermentation preserved all of the bright,
complex aromatics and resulted in a crisp,
lively wine. A light straw color, with
a hint of effervescence from the consistent
cold temperatures up to bottling, glistens
in the glass. The bouquet is of white
clover blossoms, citrus and pear. Medium-bodied,
the wine coats the palate with striking
notes of citrus, apple and stone-like
minerality. Yet, there is a roundness
as well that is reminiscent of the texture
and taste of a lemon-meringue pie. A pleasingly
crisp and lively finish reminds you that
this wine is best enjoyed with food and
good company. Traudl has paired this with
the classic Wiener Schnitzel - please
click here
for the recipe.
Harvested in October of 2005, the wine
was bottled in April of 2006. 300 cases
produced.
Click here
for a printable version of these notes.
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