Carol Ann’s Oak Hill Chardonnay

The Chalk Hill Estate has a long history experimenting with Chardonnay, both in the vineyard and the winery. Each Chardonnay block on the estate is planted with the ideal clone and rootstock, the result of years of learning what works best where. This Chardonnay takes its name from Proprietor Carol Ann Foley. It comes from the estate’s Oak Hill block, and is made with the Chalk Hill Proprietary Clone 97 which is only found on our estate. Oak Hill has both Felta and Arbuckle soils. Each brings a different level of drainage to provide control over keeping the vines in balance, nutrient-rich and high in quality, as well as adding to the complexity in the resulting wine.

Each Chardonnay barrel is unique to best showcase the site from which it was grown – from variations in the barrels themselves to the particular native yeast population that ferments the juice in that barrel. This wine was especially unique as we worked with Proprietor Carol Ann Foley to create her “perfect” Chardonnay – a fresh, round, fruit-forward, and balanced, yet lighter style with notes of apple, pear, peaches, a hint of citrus, and a slight minerality. It finishes long with a beautifully balanced acidity.