Our 2016 Chardonnay was harvested in 5 separate lots over 18 days. The fruit was hand-picked and cluster sorted prior to being whole cluster pressed. 2016 was a very consistent growing season, and wonderful for our earlier ripening varietals. The majority of the juice was fermented in stainless steel tank, with the balance being fermented in small French oak barrels. I enjoy combining the two winemaking styles with our Chardonnay, as we find the characteristics of each fermentation complement each other very nicely. We utilized 4 different yeast strains in fermenting the individual lots to add deeper complexity to the finished blend. The tank fermentations tend to run cooler, resulting in a brighter style of Chardonnay. The barrel lots ferment a little warmer, and with the oak contact and increased surface contact with the yeast, tend to have a fuller expression on the palate.