Wente Vineyards Riva Ranch Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 Arroyo Seco

Wente Vineyards are one of the oldest family-owned wineries in California founded in the Livermore Valley by Karl Wente in 1883. His son Ernest was one of the first to import Chardonnay Vines, from the University of Montpellier in 1912, these vines, now know as the Wente Clone, were the forebears of nearly 80% of all Chardonnay grown in California today.

Wente’s full flavoured Riva ranch Chardonnay comes from the cool Arroyo Seco sub-region of southern Monterey, from vines planted in the 1960’s. Made from 98% Chardonnay and weirdly 2% Gewurztraminer fermented in stainless steel and 90% is then aged in a mix of French and American oak barrels 60% new.

A bold nose of tropical fruit and sweet oak with a long full rich palate of peach and vanilla with nicely balancing acidity.