December 2006 Wine Tasting Notes.
2005 Koehler Chardonnay, Santa Ynez Valley.
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This Chardonnay is golden straw colored with a brilliant clarity. The nose shows dried tropical fruit notes dominated by pineapple and a hint of honey, aromas of citrus flowers and a creamy note. The palate is bight and crisp, expressing apple, citrus, a hint of pineapple and a mineral element. The bold but still appropriate alcohol, mild minerality and crisp acidity make for a light, refreshing mid-palate. A medium finish carries flavors of apple and citrus fruit with a mineral base. At its best for the next 5 years. |
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RWB Score: 91 breakdown 14.1% Alcohol $12.80 Retail (from winery); 3,071 cases produced |
The convergence of a great vintage and skilled winemaker make for a very good Chablis-styled Chardonnay painted in Santa Ynez Valley colors. This is a balanced, crisp, light chardonnay that refreshes from start to finish. The acidity and light minerality are kept at the forefront with the lush, tropical fruit and floral elements kept in the second seat and oak-derived elements in the background. This is all appropriate to achieve a Chablis style. Ideal with grilled white meats, fish and shellfish. |
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More Koehler reviews More on Santa Ynez Valley |
Harvested from Koehler's estate 5 acres in mid-September at 23.3° Brix. Half of the wine was stainless steel fermented and half was fermented in 1 - 3 year old French oak barrels. A complex six-month aging regimen consisted of half the wine being aged in stainless steel, 40% aged in 1-3 yr old French oak barrels and 10% aged in new French oak barrels.
Chardonnay (also called Beaunois and Morillon) ranges from subtle to distinct – most often depending on winemaking style. It displays crisp aromas and flavors of apples, apricots, citrus, peaches, pears as well as tropical fruit. Floral notes of acacia are also common. Terroir can gain distinct expression in the form of flint, mineral or mint characteristics. The small, thin-skinned Chardonnay grapes tend to make wines that express traits acquired during vinification. Depending on the degree of malolactic fermentation allowed, butter, cream, vanilla and hazelnuts come forward. Chardonnay also is apt to take on oak characteristics during barrel aging. Perhaps this characteristic may be the reason for the current departure from an overly oaky style which were initially intended to mimic great Burgundian whites.
DNA profiling at UC Davis indicate Chardonnay is a cross between a nearly extinct variety: gouais blanc (now, ironically, a somewhat "undesirable" grape) and an unidentified member of the "pinot" family (most likely pinot noir). Chardonnay also requires close attention in the vineyard during ripening as it can quickly lose acidity, resulting in clumsy wine. Hence, its best examples come from cooler climates.
Chris Stanton set out to make a Chablis-style wine, so it is appropriate to give some background on that style. The Burgundy village of Chablis is home to the white wine of the same name. Located in the north of the Burgundy region, the village produces white wine exclusively from Chardonnay grapes grown on limestone soils. The Chablis style, then, is brisk and fruity with elements of nuts, butter and minerality. The wines are produced very dry with a bright and refreshing acidity. Chardonnay grapes grow on a limestone soil rich with fossils.
The 2005 growing season ended with a crop larger than previous years. Reading the yearly state vintage reports, it would seem every year is a vintage year. Even in a relatively constant and minimally varying climate like the Central Coast, that is not necessarily guaranteed. Best wines, in terms of balance and integration, still come from long and even growing seasons. redwinebuzz.com has been speaking to many winemakers and wine growers in the Central Coast and at this time, the hype really does reflect reality. The year was generally cool and is being compared to the acclaimed 1997 vintage, but only time will prove this true. The 2005 growing season started with spring rains which led to robust vine growth. With a higher risk of mildew, growers had their hands full managing irrigation, fertilization and very intensive canopy management starting early in the season. As a result of the robust growth, growers had to be more aggressive about dropping fruit to control yields later in the season. There were no serious heat spikes which allowed even and steady development of grapes. The long and cool growing season without heat spikes resulted in fruit with good extraction but lower sugar levels and subsequent excitement over the quality of wines to be produced. The slow ripening of the fruit is expected to make for elegance and balance in the wines of this vintage.
Koehler Winery, in the Santa Ynez Valley appellation, evolved from a 1997 purchase of a property with vines up to 30 years old. At that time, all fruit grown was being sold to other producers. The vision of Kory and Peter Koehler, owners, was to make premium wines at affordable prices. 67 acres (of the 100 acre estate) are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Viognier. Most of the vines on the property are approaching 30 year in age.
The Koehler line up of wines produced prior to 2005 is solid with a number of stars. Beginning with the 2005 vintage, Koehler is releasing wines made by their new winemaker, Chris Stanton. Under Stanton's oversight, the winery will be making all estate wines, focusing on Rhône varietals with a total annual production approaching 10,000 cases.
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5 points |
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Nose |
4 points |
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Palate |
4 points |
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Finish |
4 points |
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Astringency/Minerality |
5 points |
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Acidity |
5 points |
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Alcohol |
4 points |
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Aging potential |
2 points |
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Overall quality |
8 points |
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