2014 Flowers, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California, USA

2014 Flowers, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California, USA

Product: 20148110064
 
2014 Flowers, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California, USA

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Available by the case In Bond. Pricing excludes duty and VAT, which must be paid separately before delivery. Storage charges apply.
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Description

I first encountered Flowers Chardonnay at a trade tasting a few years ago and was immediately impressed by both the depth of fruit and pure quality of the wine. The 2014 continues those initial impressions with a beautiful Chardonnay that marries Burgundian elegance with Californian fruit. Orange blossom, lime and a stony minerality combine with an almost saline note – the perfect balance between freshness and richness. Just a touch of buttered toast on the finish from the oak, which doesn’t dominate but plays a perfect supporting role. This surely ranks as one of the great Californian chardonnays. Drink 2016 -2022.
Fergus Stewart, Private Account Manager 

A beautifully bright, pale gold colour.  The nose is enticing, full of aromas of Apple blossom, verbena with a background of wet stone, flint.  The palate is impeccably balanced, medium bodied and yet lifted by crisp, vibrant acidity.  Fresh flavours of Jazz apple, crisp pear and white fruit backed up by a hint of honeyed toast, finishing with great length.  A perfect example of what a cool Sonoma Coast Chardonnay should be. Richness, poise & balance all in one. 2016 – 2020.
Stuart Rae, Commercial Manager 

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About this WINE

Flowers Vineyard

Flowers Vineyard

Perched above the Pacific Ocean, Flowers Winery is one of the leading producers on the “extreme” Sonoma Coast. Originally nursery owners in Pennsylvania, Walt & Joan Flowers founded the estate in the late ‘80s, combining their twin passions of wine and agriculture.

Today, Flowers Winery produces Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from its two estate properties, Camp Meeting Ridge Vineyard and Sea View Ridge Vineyard, as well as select vineyards in the coolest regions of the Sonoma Coast AVA, which are farmed to Flowers’ specifications.
Flowers Chardonnay is fermented in a balance of both stainless steel and oak of varying age, before 11 months ageing in French oak (18% new).

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Sonoma County

Sonoma County

North Coast's Sonoma County is California's largest AVA with 19,800 ha (2005) of vines. It has forever been the home of the meek and mild small grower as compared to the grandeur and might of neighbour Napa; more picturesque too, as much of the sandy, gravely loam land belonged to true orchards and fruit farms until the 1970s.

Sonoma Valley covers a small part of Sonoma County but its wines often outshine its illustrious neighbours in Napa County. Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon are cultivated here with much success. Sonoma Valley has long enjoyed a special place in the history of California wine. The first vineyards in the valley were planted by Franciscan monks in 1823. In 1857 Agoston Haraszthy, one of the founding fathers of California's commercial winemaking, opened here the highly successful Buena Vista Winery.

Closer to the coast are the region's top producing AVAs for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay: Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Green Valley, while the slightly warmer Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys have earned a reputation as a hotspot for Cabernet, and increasingly, Zinfandel and Merlot.

Recommended producers
Ridge, Teira, Williams & Selyem, Rochioli are definitely worth investigating.

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Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.

Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.

Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.

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