2017 Amici Charles Heintz Chardonnay

94points

Jeb Dunnuck

“Stunner”

Vineyard Notes

Called “one of the great Grand Cru Chardonnay sites in California” by Robert Parker, the Charles Heintz Vineyard sits upon a ridgetop along the rocky Sonoma County coastline. The 30-year-old vines, planted on the desirable Gold Ridge Sandy Loam top-soils, ripen slowly, cooled each evening by the fog that rolls in from the nearby Pacific Ocean. This slow, even ripening process results in beautifully balanced wines with fully developed flavors and fresh acidity. The vineyard site has been in the Heintz family for over 100 years, and since its planting in 1982 has become a name synonymous with the best of California Chardonnay.

Winemaking Notes

A classic Charles Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay with gorgeous aromas of apricot, white peach cobbler, crème brûlée and baking spice. The richly textured palate shows lovely warm stone fruit notes along with lemon zest, pineapple juice and passion fruit flavors. Hints of caramel, marzipan and apple galette carry through the finish, perfectly balanced with mineral acidity.

Vintage
2017
Varietal
Chardonnay
Vineyard
Charles Heintz Vineyard
Appellation
Russian River Valley
Blend
100% Chardonnay; 30+ years old
Alcohol
13.5%
Fermentation & Aging
100% Barrel fermentation; Full malolactic; Aged 13 months in 40% new French oak

A Single Vineyard Wine

Charles Heintz Vineyard

Vineyard Details

Reviews

94points

Jeb Dunnuck

“Another stunner is the 2017 Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard. This Russian River Valley release is reminiscent of a top Montrachet with its beautiful, toasty, powerful bouquet of crushed citrus, lemon oil, toasted nuts, and salty minerality. These all show on the palate as well, and it has a crystalline, precise style that still carries incredible richness and depth. It’s actually going to benefit from a year in bottle and I suspect evolve for over a decade.”

93points

Wine Advocate

“The 2017 Chardonnay Charlie Heintz Vineyard (already bottled) is 100% barrel fermented and aged in 40% new French oak for 13 months. It offers a nose of very pretty white peaches, lemon curd, grapefruit and ginger with touches of baking bread and lime blossoms. The palate is medium-bodied, very tightly wound, crisp and minerally, finishing long and layered.”

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