Bread & Butter Chardonnay

Bread & Butter is that thing that you can count on - something
dependable and comforting. Our wines are inspired by the bread and
butter of California winemaking. California Chardonnay with bright
fruit and a pleasing balance of oak and butter. Pinot Noir grown in
cool climates and blended with nothing except more Pinot Noir. Classic
styles we love.
Bread & Butter is also about the tools we have as winemakers.
'Bread' refers to oak, which imparts flavors and aromas of toast, nut,
and dough. 'Butter' refers to malolactic fermentation, which adds
buttery flavors and textures in a wine. These winemaking tools have
been expertly utilized to enhance our top quality fruit and craft beautiful,
pleasing wines, which we hope you can come to count on.
2013 Chardonnay Winemaker's Notes
Eyes: The color is a daybright, golden yellow with bright flashes of
brilliance.
Nose: The wine develops like a story in the glass as you let it
breathe. It begins with a combination of bright butterscotch and
lemongrass. Then the notes of cream and lemon meringue pie begin
to rise to the surface and are joined with toast, smoke and vanilla
flavors from the oak. Floral and canned peach aromas develop last.
When it all comes together, it's magic.
Mouth: Let the wine open up to wonderful flavors of peach, lemon
zest, papaya, banana, and honeysuckle. Then buttered popcorn and
vanilla oak characters emerge from the background to soften the
fruit. There is a great balance of acidity and richness that makes
Bread & Butter both refreshing and decadent.
Pairings: I recommend the 2013 with all kinds of shellfish. Clams
and mussels in a sauce made with B&B Chardonnay, butter, and
garlic is incredible. I've also been enjoying it with salads, crab cakes,
and my new obsession, hand made pasta, especially gnocchi in a
cream sauce...so good.
Bread: We used 1 year old American oak for the Sonoma fruit over
14 months, and new French oak for the Monterey fruit for just 8
months. The fruit from Sonoma is more citrus and white fruit, so we
wanted to add creaminess and vanilla notes. The Monterey fruit is
more tropical, and the French oak gives us some spice and silk.
Together they blend into a wine that has so much complexity and
layers.
Butter: 100% Malolactic Fermentation
Comp: 100% Chardonnay
Alcohol: 13.50%
TA: 5.3 g/L
pH: 3.70

Region Description

California produces the majority of wine made in the United States. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir dominate the wine production in California, but many other varietials thrive in the California climate. Many fine wines are produced in California using Mediterranean grapes.