A Stylish Choice: 2010 Helix Chardonnay
Here at Reininger Winery, we make a couple of Chardonnays, so let’s start with some background information on Chardonnay. First, it grows nearly everywhere in the wine world: cool climates and warm climates; Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere. Second, Chardonnay can vary immensely depending on the terroir and climate. Third, Chardonnay can be manipulated into a variety of styles, offering something for every palate.
As an example of how terroir or growing conditions effect the style of Chardonnay, we will discuss the 2010 Helix Chardonnay. The 2010 Helix Chardonnay, produced by Reininger Winery in Walla Walla, is made from grapes sourced from two Washington Vineyards: Stillwater Creek and Birch Creek. Stillwater Vineyard is located in the Frenchman Hills on the Royal Slope of Washington State’s Columbia Valley and Birch Creek Vineyard is located in the Walla Walla Valley. During the grape growing season, Eastern Washington boasts warm summer days followed by cool nights, ensuring that grapes ripen fully while retaining ample natural acidity. Because of its northerly location, Washington receives up to two more hours of sunlight per day during the growing season than California’s North Coast. More sun means more flavor development; low precipitation and low humidity minimize rot, mildew, disease and pest problems in the vineyards. Daily temperatures can fluctuate as much as 40-50 degrees during the growing season, and it is this swing which retains the grape’s natural acidity and fresh fruit flavor. Relatively cool nights lock in the acids and flavors while warm days ensure that the grapes ripen slowly without excessive sugar development.
Now let’s digress a bit… Chardonnay style is also impacted by wine making techniques, or what happens once the grapes are harvested. The three most common manipulations are malolactic fermentation, the addition of yeast, and contact with oak. We’ll tell you all about the details of malolactic fermentation soon, but for now just know that it’s a process that gives Chardonnay a butter aroma and soft texture. The addition of yeast lends Chardonnay complexity. The last, though certainly not least employed manipulation is the use of oak. Traditionally, wine came in contact with oak when it was aged in oak barrels. Though barrel aging is still frequent today, some wine makers simply add oak chips into stainless steel casks. The use of oak can either enhance or dominate the flavors of Chardonnay, so judicious use is paramount. When used artfully, oak can create lovely tones of spice, vanilla, nuttiness or toasty qualities. When oak is overused, it can obliterate the more delicate flavors of Chardonnay, and in doing so, mask a large variety of shortcomings.
Back to the 2010 Helix Chardonnay: Eighty percent of the Helix Chardonnay grapes were aged in stainless steel, and the remaining twenty percent in French oak. Stainless steel allows the wonderful natural acidity of the 2010 Helix Chardonnay to shine through and highlights the flavors of tart pear, guava and pineapple. The skillful addition of oak enhances the lush mouthfeel, rounds out the acidity and ties together the fruit flavors with a hint of butterscotch. You can order a bottle of the 2010 Helix Chardonnay here.
We’ll tell you more about the different styles of Chardonnay soon, including more details on the ever fascinating process of malolactic fermentation!
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