2022 Chardonnay
Chardonnay still reigns supreme in California as “The Queen” of whites. It’s a versatile wine, with dependable flavors and textures. Grown in the Paso Robles AVA, our Chardonnay is rich and aromatic, led by the classic taste of papaya and pineapple. Our 2022 vintage is a great example of an unoaked, all-stainless-steel Chardonnay. 2022 saw one of the lightest crops of the decade, we only produced 784 cases which will sell out fast! The flavors are dominated by ripe pear, crisp apple, and Meyer lemon. Everything works well on the palate opening and closing with beautiful fruit flavors held together by a warm nutty smack. Nothing pairs better with our Chardonnay than grilled vegetables and seasoned chicken or a meaty halibut dinner. This wine is best enjoyed through 2023 and 2024.
Chardonnay is a lot of fun to make! First off, it’s a fast fermenter, so temperature control is a key to success. The grapes are first whole berry pressed and we limit our pressing to 1.5 bars. Pressing just enough to release the juice but not hard enough to break any seeds. We ferment the juice at a chilling 48-52 degrees and monitor it day and night. The yeast is fed three times during the fermentation process by adding alpha aminos and vitamins that keep the yeast strong and healthy until the end. The wine was fermented and aged in a stainless-steel tank, fashioning it to be the freshest tasting Chardonnay possible. The wine was bottled in early March 2023, when the wine was still young, vibrant and fresh. This wine is best enjoyed during 2023 through 2024.
| Download Wine Notes |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Varietal | Chardonnay |
| Varietal Composition | 100% Chardonnay |
| Appellation | Paso Robles |
| Acid | 0.68 g/100 ml |
| PH | 3.65 |
| Residual Sugar | 0.10 g/100 ml |
| Alcohol | 14.00% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 03/15/2023 |
| Cases Produced | 784 |
2022 was by far the most EXTREME growing season seen in the Paso Robles AVA in the last 10 years! Heat records were broken for pretty much the entire month of August and over half of September. What does all that heat do to the vines you ask? Well, for starters it increases the perception of ripe fruit flavors. This Chardonnay has a heightened taste of pear, pineapple and apple. Also, the heat speeds up harvest, we picked this Chardonnay almost 3 weeks earlier than the 2021 Chardonnay. High winds in early spring, delayed flowering and therefore the crop load was lighter than expected too. This east side Paso Robles vineyard is very picturesque with rolling hills, oak trees scattered around the vineyard and features many elevation changes. The vineyard soil is a mix of clay-loam and rocky section. The grapes were harvested at a perfect 25.0 BRIX and brought to the winery for immediate whole berry pressing.
Paul Frankel's Background
Winemaking and grape growing is Paul’s passion! From an early age, Paul showed interest and excelled in science, botany, and chemistry. Most of all Paul loved the outdoors and working with his hands. His love for farming shows through in the quality of his wines. He has conducted numerous vineyard and winemaking experiments that have resulted in award-winning wines. Paul has studied the Frankel Ranch property during his lifetime and he is very well versed in soil types and meso climates on the estate. Paul grew up on the property and was mentored by winemakers Shannon O’Neil and Jason Bushong. Paul’s father and Dr. Warren Frankel planted the 125-acre vineyard and built the winery, opening the tasting room in October 2007. Paul graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor’s Degree in Viticulture and Enology. While in college he interned at the Cal Poly Pilot Winery and worked 2 seasons at Maloy O’Neill Winery. In fact, Paul took two fall quarters off to make Sculpterra’s wines. His first vintage as a head winemaker was 2008 making 19 total tons. During harvest Paul puts in 14-hour days, conducting the pick, crush, and press.
