Little Trouble Wine Co. 2022 Chardonnay, Champi Vineyard, Redwood Valley
Item Number: 18949
UPC: None
Country: USA
Region: California
Sub Region: Mendocino
Appellation/AVA: Redwood Valley
Estate Grown Wine: No
Vineyard Designation: Champi Vineyard
Vintage: 2022
Grape(s): 100% Chardonnay
Type: Wine - White
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Alc by Vol(%): 13.7
Viticulture: Practicing Organic
Soil Type: Redvine and Manzanita
Winemakers' Notes: “A dear friend once said 'I don't have a favorite variety, but it's Chardonnay'. While we don't love to speak in superlatives, we wouldn't NOT agree. After the wild success of our Chardonnay from Rorick Heritage Vineyard, we set our sites on finding a vineyard that would be a part of the core Little Trouble family tree for years and years to come. That special place was found in Champi Vineyard, nestled in a pocket of Redwood Valley in Mendocino. Farmed by Mitch Champi and Mitch alone, this well-kept secret spot is perfect for the bright, generous style of Chardonnay we love to drink."
Winemaking Notes: Grapes were foot-trodden upon arrival at the winery and left on skins for 24 hours before being pressed. Juice fermented in neutral vessels until dryness, then pressed into neutral barrels. Native primary and secondary ferments, unfined/unfiltered, and minimal So2 before bottling was the only addition.
Terroir Notes: Redwood Valley is an upland valley where the climate is cooler than surrounding appellations due to a gap in the coastal ridge, which allows cool Pacific air currents to penetrate. These conditions lead to a gradual ripening of fruit that makes Redwood Valley Chardonnay refined and complex. The notable iron-rich Redvine and Manzanita soils of the area also provide character to the wines. While there are traces of this soil in surrounding areas, nowhere does it dominate to the extent it does in Redwood Valley. The earliest vineyards in Mendocino County were planted here among the ancient redwoods by Italian immigrants. The Champi Vineyard is owned and farmed by Mitch Champi, whose family planted the site back in the 1970s. Mitch grafted over to Chardonnay in the late 80s where he has continued to farm organically (not certified) with minimum intervention.