Chardonnay 2021

Type

White

Grape

Chardonnay

Region

Russian River Valley, CA

Value

Environment

Vibe

Ocean + Bright

Farming

Organic

Characteristics

Acidity

Body

Umami

Production notes:

Sourced from the Battaglini Vineyard (old vines, serious passion) in Sonoma County. Jason harvested the grapes in late August and let them sit for a day before submitting them to a light foot treading (the gentlest — and presumably most enjoyable — method of crushing grapes). The juice was then left to soak on the skins for an additional 24 hours, which boosted the flavor intensity and textural complexity of the resulting wine. The juice was then pressed into stainless steel tanks to begin fermentation. Later, Jason racked the still-fermenting juice off the gross lees (the dead yeast cells that has sunk to the bottom of the tank) into a Stockinger puncheon (roughly 2x the size of traditional French barrels) — and the rest went into the smaller French barrels (all neutral). Aged for 11 months. Unfined, unfiltered and zero zero (no sulfites added). 11.5% abv.

Chardonnay - 2021

Tastes like it was shot from a gun, not squeezed from ripe grape clusters. Earthy and electric, this Chardonnay reaches for the cosmic.

Most would agree that the climate crisis demands drastic and immediate action. Yet few have staked their careers on it. Jason Ruppert has — and thankfully, he’s not alone. As a result, American wine is entering a vibrant new era of sustainability. Jason's path to winemaking was far from straightforward. First came the sommelier years — a celebrated career at top restaurants in Sonoma and San Francisco. Then came the farming and winemaking apprenticeships (his Rolodex of mentors includes industry greats like Ted Lemon, Steve Matthiasson, Pax Mahle, Laura Brennan, Scott Schultz, Jaimee Motley, Ryan and Megan Glaab). Finally, in 2018, he founded Ardure with a mission of elevating the status of American hybrid varieties. Long overlooked, American hybrids — hardy and disease-resistant crossings of European and North American grapes — are just beginning to receive the recognition they deserve. Not only are they delicious — they answer one of wine's most pressing questions: How to navigate our extreme and increasingly unpredictable climate reality? Jason Ruppert is a natural winemaker of the highest order, which means vineyard work is arduous (he does everything himself, all by hand) and cellar work is a breeze — at least in theory. Zero zero winemaking (no added sulphites) can be agonizingly unpredictable, and thus requires the constant vigilance of a helicopter parent. And then there are the crystals — Rose Quartz, Fluorite, Labradorite and Shungite — which Jason places on top of amphorae lids to repel EMFs and add energy and vibrancy to the finished wines.