WINEMAKER'S NOTES
In 1996, a high-quality Chardonnay vineyard block was planted to 17 different clones of Chardonnay for evaluation. The goal was to select the clones best suited to each particular site at Chalk Hill Estate in order to produce the best possible wine. This is an ongoing research project for viticulturist Mark Lingenfelder and his team.
From the 2003 vintage, winemaker Steven Leveque selected 5 of these clones to be vinified by identical methods, and then bottled as a demonstration of the varied nature of flavors and bouquet each clone possesses. He also put together a unique blend of four clones to demonstrate how the personalities of individual clones can complement each other in an estate blend. The clones selected for this were U.C. Davis numbers 15, 17, 22, 76 and 95. The set of six wines were specially bottled and are sold only as a set, so wine enthusiasts could compare and contrast the results. Only 224 6-bottle wood cases were produced.
For more information and notes on each wine, download the 2003 Clone Collection booklet. (PDF, 327K) 
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