2023 Niki Lee Chardonnay

Understated, elegant, and built to age gracefully, this Chardonnay cascades with yellow tea roses, lime zest, and white peach. An underpinning of oyster shell, baking spices, and chamomile flower build minerality, depth, and subtle complexity. The wine builds slowly on the palate, creating a steamlined runway for layered, mouthwatering acidity to drive home the finish. Flavors linger, refreshing and crisp, with a whisper of phenolic grip adding to the textural complexity.  The deft use of a small percentage of french oak offers a texural element rather than intruding on the fruit. 

This fruit was picked at night and whole cluster pressed lightly in the early hours of the morning to preserve acidity and precision. After a day of settling, the juice is drained to barrels and fermented with native yeasts.  This beautifully and classically crafted Chardonnay did not require fining or filtration and was simply racked and bottled after 10 months of undisturbed elevage on the lees.