Growing Conditions
After a late April budbreak, Mother Nature pumped the brakes with somewhat cool and rainy weather in May and June. July saw heat, humidity and some rain. The sun and heat continued in August and primed September for thorough ripening. By the end of August the humidity cleared and a spectacular period of sunny, dry weather and blue skies began and stretched through the entire month of September. Both August and September came in under 2 inches of rain for the month. September’s gorgeous dry, sunny weather and cool nights made 2019 into a vintage to remember.
Winemaking
The vineyard yielded about 2 tons per acre. The Chardonnay blocks were harvested and the fruit was loaded directly in the press to avoid phenolic extraction. The free run juice was clarified in stainless steel tanks under refrigeration. Only free run juice was used to make this wine.
The clear juice was inoculated with the CY 3079 yeast strain, isolated in Burgundy in barrel fermentation. This is a slow acting yeast, which is what we prefer, in order to preserve as much of the fruitiness as possible. The fermenting must was then transferred to our oak barrels where alcoholic fermentation was completed. Thereafter the wine was inoculated with oenococcus oeni to promote the malolactic fermentation. At the same time we started stirring the barrels to keep the lees in suspension. The result is that the yeast cells, that have now finished their fermenting task, begin to absorb the heavier oak flavors. In the end the yeast cells go through autolysis, which gives a certain creaminess to the wine. We do this to avoid a reductive character in the wine but also to tone down the oakiness: we want the oak to play a supporting role, integrating well with the fruit rather than featuring it as a recognizable component of the wine. After aging sur lie for eight months in French oak barrels, the Barrel Fermented Chardonnay was bottled.
This wine was sealed with a screw cap to preserve freshness and cleanliness.
Food Pairing
Have Paumanok Barrel Fermented Chardonnay with grilled lobster or shrimp in garlic butter sauce, scallops, and poultry or veal with white sauce. Great with Gougères or other cheese pastries, try it with Gruyère.
