Arnot Roberts Chardonnay 'Trout Gulch' 2019

California, USA

100% Chardonnay

 Fermented in stainless steel and aged in neutral wood (a nod to the masters, Dauvissat and Raveneau). 

Trout Gulch is a vineyard tucked away within a dark and forested coastal canyon about 4km from the ocean in Santa Cruz County. Planted in 1980 to the old Wente clone of Chardonnay, which many consider to be the heritage selection of Chardonnay in California. The soils are fine sandy loam. Harvest usually happens up until mid October and this long, slow growing season results in wines that are high in natural acidity, strong mineralogy and have a notable salinity on the palate. 

Arnot Roberts is one Californias leading producers. The project began in 2001, headed up by Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts are two dynamic, young winemakers in California, leading the way of site specific wines with balance and integrity. The produce a selection of wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Trousseau and Gamay, as well as some small batch wines made with varietals such as Ribolla Gialla and Zinfandel. 

Winemaking here is a meeting point of tradition and innovation. All the wines are fermented with wild yeasts, little or no new wood and whole bunch inclusion for the red wines.