Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2022 – DeLoach

To produce the Chardonnay Russian River Valley DeLoach the juice was fermented and underwent 100% malolactic conversion in a combination of stainless steel tanks, concrete vats and French oak barrels. The wine was then aged for 10 months. These techniques contributed to a well-balanced wine with bright acidity and a rich, round mouthfeel.

The cool, foggy Russian River Valley climate allows for slow ripening, ideal for Chardonnay to develop full flavour maturation. Grapes were predominantly harvested from the BCD Vineyard, the Norris Vineyard and the Boriolo Vineyard. Each of these Russian River Valley Vineyards are certified Sonoma Sustainable and contribute their unique complexities to the final blend. The BCD Vineyard, located adjacent to the DeLoach Estate on a very gentle south facing slope, features heavy clay soils that decrease the vigor of the vines and is influenced by the Laguna de Santa Rosa. The Norris Vineyard is located in the Chalk Hill sub-appellation of the Russian River Valley and the Boriolo Vineyard is located on the Olivet Bench northeast of the winery.

Established in 1973 by Cecil De Loach, a firefighter from San Francisco, DeLoach was purchased by Burgundian Jean-Claude Boisset in 2003. His son Jean-Charles Boisset saw the similarities of the Russian River Valley with his native Burgundy and the potential that the region held for producing fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. One of his first decisions having acquired the estate was to convert the seven hectares of vineyard surrounding the winery to biodynamic farming. Head winemaker Brian Maloney has worked at DeLoach since 2003 and has proved instrumental in evolving DeLoach by continuing to explore different soils across the Russian River Valley and focusing on high-quality, small-lot winemaking.