2023 Hanna Colombard 750ml

Vineyard: Once an important cultivar in Sonoma County, Colombard now exists only in a few remnant plots amounting to fewer than 10 acres. The Cameron Ranch on River Road has a block of 50-year-old monsters, with leathery leaves and tart, juicy, football-sized clusters. The wine itself is bright, aromatic, and low alcohol--deliciously ethereal. The Oxford Companion to Wine’s Jancis Robinson wrote of Colombard, “It would take some sorcery to transform Colombard into an exciting wine.” Time is the sorcerer, and we are happy to be the medium.

Russian River Valley 2023: Another wet winter followed by a cool spring and summer allowed clusters to size above expectations. Continued moderate temps in late summer and early fall resulted in slow ripening and a harvest that was a month later than 2022. We had no heat waves and ended up with 2700 Degree-Days in the Russian River Valley. The Colombard was harvested on October 16, at 20.0° Brix, TA of 1.07 g/100 mL, and pH 3.12.

Winemaking: Our winemaking begins in the vineyard. We manage the canopies to achieve flavor enhancing filtered light from fruit set on. Harvesting is done at night by hand. We cold settled the Colombard with a blend of non-Saccharomyces yeasts, racked, and inoculated with a ester-enhancing Saccharomyces. It was barrel fermented, and aged in a combination of barrels and a Sonoma Cast Concrete tank (affectionately known as Petra) on the lees (which enhances the mouthfeel and keeps the wine fresh and bright) until four weeks before bottling.

Tasting Notes: This bracing, citrusy wine, balanced with enticing savory notes make it the ideal wine to pair with a plethora of foods. Aromas of fresh squeezed lime, muddled herbs and lemon zest are joined by Gravenstein apple, almond blossoms, peaches, mace, kinako and fava beans. The initial taste of the chilled Colombard brings to mind a racy yuzu shaved ice followed by toasted black sesame. (Tasted 7/25/2024)

Variety 95% Colombard, 5% Sauvignon Blanc

Vineyard Location Cameron Ranch in the Russian River Valley

Age of Vines 50+ years

 

Alcohol 11.5%

pH 3.23

TA 0.81 g/100 mL

Residual Sugar 0.2%

 

Avg. Brix at Harvest  20.0

Harvest Date October 16, 2023

 

Fermentation Started with non-Saccharomyces, finished with an ester-enhancing Saccharomyces in barrels.

Malolactic fermentation None

Length/Type of Aging Neutral barrels and Sonoma Concrete tank, on lees

 

Bottling Date June 28, 2024

Number of Cases 195

Vegan