Freakout, White Wine 2007

The 2007 Freakout is a light golden color, with an enticing nose of ripe pear and hints of lemon. On the palate, the mouthwatering acidity of lemon zest mingles with baked bread and coconut milk, accented by a good dose of minerality. The finish is a delicious blend of pears and vanilla.

The 2007 Freakout blend is composed of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Ribolla Gialla. The Chardonnay comes from a 37-year old Napa Valley vineyard, located at 2,200 feet on Mt. Veeder. This dry-farmed vineyard yields grapes with great natural acidity. The Sauvignon Blanc comes from a new source this year, a 20-year old vineyard near Zinfandel Lane in St. Helena. The Pinot Grigio was grown on the Luna Vineyards Estate Vineyard. Elsa’s Vineyard, owned by George and Elsa Vare, was the source of the Ribolla Gialla, as it is the only vineyard in America planted with this Italian varietal. The 2007 growing season was consistently 85 degrees, near-perfect for ripening, but picking was interrupted in September with a run of cooler weather. All varietals came in close to Labor Day, except the Chardonnay, which was brought into the winery in late September.

The secret of Freakout is in the innovative winemaking. Each varietal is treated individually, and then married together two months before bottling, to create the ultimate blend. To promote the aromatics of the wine, the Chardonnay begins fermentation in tanks before moving to French oak barrels. Most of the Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in stainless steel tanks also, but a small portion is fermented in barrel on the skins like a red wine, and punched down twice a day until fermentation is completed. Some of the Pinot Grigio is fermented in stainless steel for a crisp, lively finish and the rest goes to neutral French oak barrels. The distinctive Ribolla Gialla is aged in small oak barrels and it provides the finished wine with weight, texture and minerality.