2015 Y. Rousseau Chardonnay Constance Haynes Vineyard Coombsville

“Let the fruit shine...”

2015 Y. Rousseau Chardonnay Constance Haynes Vineyard Coombsville

Yannick Rousseau uses fruit from the Haynes Vineyard, an old site in Coombsville whose Chardonnay finds its way into some great cellars; perhaps Failla and Enfield are most notable. Rousseau does not subject his wine to malolactic, and he ages it on lees for 10 months, without bâtonnage, in one-third stainless and two-thirds used French oak. In other words, he tries to let the fruit shine.

The color is pale yellow gold and the wine’s fragrance is expansive, enormous, and like a sunny field ripe with flowers: hay and chamomile, orange blossom, a hint of sweet bay. The texture is silken, with a flaxen mid-palate and a finish like bitter almond. The fruit mostly takes a back seat, and the acidity is modest, just on the verge of enough. There’s a sense of nut and coconut—curious given the neutral élevage. The aromatics really win the day.

Pair it with roasted poultry or medium-aged cheeses. And don’t serve it too cold.

14.2% abv | $27 (sample) 170 cases made

You might also enjoy this interview I conducted with Yannick Rousseau:

http://makerstable.com/2015/10/19/gascony-heritage-meets-california-terroir-an-interview-with-yannick-rousseau-of-y-rousseau-wines/

 

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