La Sirena 2021 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County

Winemaker Notes: La Sirena Chardonnay is back with our latest release of this elegant, complex & food-friendly white wine. I have made Chardonnay a number of times for my clients over the years, but I was not compelled to make my own until a special vineyard source became available in 2016 - the Rued family original vineyard planted in 1969. The offer was intriguing, so I went to have a look, and was immediately taken with the magnificent old vines and their large gnarled trunks & arms. For the first time this vintage, I also blended in some Chardonnay from the famous Bacigalupi Paris Block, one of the sources for the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that won the Paris Tasting. - Heidi Peterson Barrett

Vineyard Notes: 60% of the Chardonnay comes from Valdez Vineyard and 40% from Bacigalupi Paris Block.

Tasting Notes: Sourced from the original 1969 planting of the Rued clone of Chardonnay, known for its tropical aromatics (some even refer to it as the Muscat clone of Chardonnay) and blended with fruit from the Bacigalupi Paris Block, one of the sources for the Chateau Montelena 1973 Chardonnay that won the Paris Tasting. Brilliant light golden straw in color with gorgeous fruit aromas of crisp pear, pineapple, delicate melon, a whiff of green apple and citrus, with nice minerality and complementary notes of caramel, beeswax, and a kiss of vanilla. A very light touch of of toasty French oak enhances the aromatics and fruit flavors across the palate. The mouthfeel, texture and flavor profile is just delicious, with nicely balanced acidity and richness that lingers in an extraordinary finish.