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TASTING NOTES

Our 2020 captures the Keuka lakeside shale along oak aromas of cedar, wood, clove, and ginger balanced beautifully with lemon curd, pineapple, and passion fruit. The palate is round and generous, and at the same time bright and zesty. A perfectly balanced oak-aged style of Chardonnay with the structure and vibrancy to cellar.

VINEYARD NOTES

The grapes from this single vineyard come from the Eric Volz Vineyard, just north across the road from Dr. Konstantin Frank’s plantings on Keuka Lake. The vineyard was planted in 1985 by Walter Volz, the winery’s first Vineyard Manager. This vineyard is managed by Eric Volz, current Vineyard Manager for the winery, who worked alongside his father Walter and grandfather, Dr. Konstantin Frank. Soils here are shallow with high natural acidity and high amounts of shale. The vines are planted on 3309 and 188-15 rootstocks.

WINEMAKER NOTES

In 2019, budbreak and flowering started about two weeks later than normal. Temperatures during the summer were moderate, and much cooler than in 2018. August and September were cooler than average. Luckily, the weather in the fall was extremely favorable with extended periods of sunny and dry days followed by cool nights. This offered excellent conditions to fully ripen the grapes well into October.

VINEYARD

100% Volz Vineyard.

VINIFICATION

Direct Press. Stainless Steel.

VESSEL

100% French Oak Barrels, 50% Acacia Wood, 17% New Oak.

FERMENTATION

100% Barrel Fermented. Weekly Bâtonnage. No MLF.

ÉLEVAGE

Aged 9 Months. 33% New Oak, 33% 2nd Year Oak, 33% 3rd & 4th Year Oak.

ACCOLADES