2014 | Arnot Roberts | Trout Gulch Vineyard Chardonnay

Situated about 4 miles from the ocean in Santa Cruz County, The Trout Gulch Vineyard produces glorious Chardonnay with high natural acidity, strong minerality, and notable salinity on the palate. Crisp notes of citrus and white blossom on the nose give way to a lean palate with fresh acidity.

Reviews:

• Vinous: Candied lemon, crushed rocks, sage, dried flowers and a host of mineral-inflected notes open up. Distinctly tense and vibrant, the 2014 offers superb intensity yet also captures the phenolic intensity that makes Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnays so unique. The Trout Gulch remains one of the most distinctive, pedigreed Chardonnays being made in the United States.

• Wine Maker: According to the winery: "The Trout Gulch vineyard sits at 800’ above the tiny town of Aptos, about 4 miles from the ocean in Santa Cruz county. The site was planted in 1980 to the old Wente clone of Chardonnay which is considered by many to be the heritage selection of Chardonnay in California. The soils in this cool climate site are sandy loam and the vines are carefully tended by Richard Alfaro. Harvest often stretches until mid October and the resulting wines are high in natural acidity with a notable salinity on the palate. We are excited to work with such a special site and think the wines we have produced so far from this plot will age well in the cellar for years to come."

Producer Information

Arnot-Roberts was Founded in 2001 in Healdsburg, CA by childhood friends, Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts. The focus of this two person operation is on small lot, single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, as well as several other varieties uncommon in Northern Californian vineyards. Sites are carefully chosen and are generally on the cooler end of the spectrum for the planted varieties. Collaboration with dedicated and passionate growers is paramount in the farming of these sites. Duncan and Nathan grew up around winemaking in the Napa Valley. Nathan is a second generation cooper and personally builds all of the French oak barrels that are utilized in the ageing of all Arnot-Roberts wines. Over the years Duncan has worked making wine in the Napa Valley in wineries like, Caymus, Groth, Acacia, Kongsgaard. Total production of Arnot-Roberts is around 2,000 cases per year with thirteen individual wines. Both primary and secondary fermentations are carried out utilizing native yeast. For the Syrahs whole clusters are retained during primary fermentation before being basket pressed to French oak barrels. For the Cabernets, hillside sites of intense character are chosen, small amounts of whole clusters are retained during primary fermentation and the wines are aged for two years in varying amounts of new French oak cooperage, selected and toasted to meld with the vintage at hand. White wines are whole cluster pressed and stainless steel fermented with native yeast, then aged in neutral French oak barrels.

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