Mount Eden Chardonnay 2023
(Edna Valley, California)

About the Winery:
Located in the mountains above Saratoga. Mount Eden Vineyards was founded in 1945, although its history goes back much further: Native Burgundian Paul Masson arrived in California in 1878, established a winery, planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with cuttings obtained from his Burgundian pal Louis Latour, and pioneered the production of sparkling wine in the Santa Cruz Mountains. But then came prohibition to ruin it all. Then came the legend Martin Ray in 1943 to buy Masson's wine company and plant those cuttings in what is now the Mount Eden Estate, sitting 2,000 feet overlooking Saratoga and the entire Bay Area. He also planted Cabernet Sauvignon with cuttings from Chateau Margaux.

Today, the Mount Eden wines show the same amazing qualities found in many of the 1er and Grand Crus of Burgundy; minerality, complexity, ripe orchard fruit, but restrained use of new oak.

Jean-Pierre Wolff farms 55 acres of Chardonnay vines in the bucolic Edna Valley, outside the town of San Luis Obispo. Originally planted in 1976 by Edna Valley wine pioneer Andy Macgregor (Wolff purchased the property from Macgregor in 1999), the vineyard is the oldest in the Edna Valley. Mount Eden has made Chardonnay from this vineyard since 1985. These mature vines typically yield two to four tons per acre.

Notes from the Winemaker:
Like everywhere in California, Edna Valley went through a drought in 2021. From some of the oldest vines in the valley, the yields were extremely low. The grapes were harvested in mid-October, the last major Chardonnay region to be harvested in California.