E&J Gallo Chardonnay California

The result of careful crafting, our Stefani Vineyard Chardonnay is a soft and elegant style of wine that reflects our desire to emphasize the fruit flavours of the grapes while maintaining characteristic oak undertones. Stefani Vineyard's combination of climate and soil produces Chardonnay grapes with ripe apple, peach, and subtle tropical aromas and flavours. A perfect complement to grilled fish, light pastas, and poultry. (6 x 75 cl)

After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, Ernest & Julio Gallo started their winery in California. Unable to obtain bank loans, they rented a warehouse and bought equipment on credit. More than sixty years later, the Gallo family still controls one of the world's most successful wine companies. The Gallo philosophy of continual improvement saw Julio Gallo travelling throughout California seeking high quality grapes and vineyards; he came to the conclusion that Sonoma County has the finest growing area in California. Its complex geography provides an endless variety of growing conditions, and eleven viticultural appellations have been established in Sonoma. Fresh and forward fruit flavours complement a broad range of cuisine (12 x 75 cl)

. (3 x 3 Litres)

After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, Ernest & Julio Gallo started their winery in California. Unable to obtain bank loans, they rented a warehouse and bought equipment on credit. More than sixty years later, the Gallo family still controls one of the world's most successful wine companies. The Gallo philosophy of continual improvement saw Julio Gallo travelling throughout California seeking high quality grapes and vineyards; he came to the conclusion that Sonoma County has the finest growing area in California. Its complex geography provides an endless variety of growing conditions, and eleven viticultural appellations have been established in Sonoma. A silky chardonnay which is bright and crisp with a flinty, minerally edge. This wine will develop over the next 3 (6 x 75 cl)

Our Chardonnay is an elegant, well-balanced wine, crafted with some of the finest grapes in Sonoma County. This wine has bright aromas of apple, pear, pineapple, and ripe flavors of peach and mango. The rich mouthfeel is enhanced by a subtle layer of sweet vanilla. With a crisp, clean finish, our Gallo of Sonoma Chardonnay is a delicious complement to almost any meal including grilled chicken, fresh salmon, or lighter pasta dishes. To ensure that the grapes are gently squeezed and allow the natural fruit character to shine through, a gravity fed, whole cluster press is used for 100% of our Chardonnay to eliminate the bitterness that typically results from crusher-destemmers. The juice was primarily barrel fermented, and temperature was monitored not to exceed 68º F to produce a slower, cooler fermentation that enhanced complexities of body, flavor, and aroma. The wine underwent partial malolactic fermentation, lending it a buttery flavor that complements its crisp, clean finish. (6 x 75 cl)

After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, Ernest & Julio Gallo started their winery in California. Unable to obtain bank loans, they rented a warehouse and bought equipment on credit. More than sixty years later, the Gallo family still controls one of the world's most successful wine companies. The Gallo philosophy of continual improvement saw Julio Gallo travelling throughout California seeking high quality grapes and vineyards; he came to the conclusion that Sonoma County has the finest growing area in California. Its complex geography provides an endless variety of growing conditions, and eleven viticultural appellations have been established in Sonoma (6 x 75 cl)

Medium-bodied wine displays inviting apple and citrus aromas, typical of a 'New World' Chardonnay, and an off-dry finish with just a hint of vanilla. (12 x 75 cl)

After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, Ernest & Julio Gallo started their winery in California. Unable to obtain bank loans, they rented a warehouse and bought equipment on credit. More than sixty years later, the Gallo family still controls one of the world's most successful wine companies. The Gallo philosophy of continual improvement saw Julio Gallo travelling throughout California seeking high quality grapes and vineyards; he came to the conclusion that Sonoma County has the finest growing area in California. Its complex geography provides an endless variety of growing conditions, and eleven viticultural appellations have been established in Sonoma. Grapes from Estate vineyard blocks located in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley were used for this wine. Gallo has achieved a worldwide reputation for producing Chardonnay grapes full of character and concentrated varietal flavour here. Sometimes referred to as a cool climate growing region, the Russian River Valley benefits from its proximity to the nearby Pacific Ocean. Warm daytime temperatures routinely cool down at night as a result of marine fog intrusion. Such a weather phenomena slows the ripening process, allowing the grapes more time to deepen and develop character. The soil found at Laguna Ranch also plays an important role. Known as 'Sebastopol' series, it represents a mixture of gravelly and sandy loam ideal for growing world-class Chardonnay grapes. Winemaking has been a tradition in the Gallo family for almost 70 years and the Estate bottled range is one of their flagship wines.All grapes were harvested by hand and whole cluster pressed in the winery. New French oak barrels were used to age sur lies for 11 months while being stirred every 2 to 3 weeks. The vintage distinguishes itself by being powerful, focused and elegant all at the same time. With layer after layer of flavour and beautifully integrated textures, it is nothing short of extraordinary, a winning combination of New World fruit and Old World craftsmanship. (6 x 75 cl)

Complex, elegant and rich, this Chardonnay displays a skillful balance between power and finesse. The wine exhibits a nose of pears, apples and mango with a touch of clove and spice on the finish. We recommend enjoying this wine with foods such as grilled salmon in lemon and butter, served with foie gras and Roquefort cheese. Serve slightly chilled . VINEYARDS The grapes came from one of our family vineyards, Laguna Ranch, located in Sonoma County. Sonoma County is situated 100 km north of San Francisco, west of Napa, and alongside the Pacific Ocean. In the centre region of Sonoma County lies Russian River Valley, where Laguna Ranch Vineyard rests in the benchlands. Originally planted in the late 1800s, the vineyard is located in climatic Region I . Soils are a combination of gravelly and sandy loam, referred to as Sebastopol series. The fog coming from the Pacific Ocean lingers in this area throughout the day, making it one of the coolest regions of Sonoma County. Chardonnay grapes grown in this region develop the right balance between crisp acidity and concentrated citrus, apple and pear flavours and aromas. HARVEST With a heritage of three generations in Sonoma, our family firmly believes that ''great wines start with great grapes.'' To intensify the true varietal character of the grapes, shoots were thinned from the vines and leaves were removed by hand during the growing season. From September 3 to 5, 100% of the grapes were hand harvested while the sugar levels were at an average of 23.4 Brix. WINEMAKING Grapes for our wine were sent in whole clusters to a membrane press, bypassing the crusher to reduce the potential for bitter tannin extraction. In addition, this wine contains press juice that was collected for cool fermentation and aged for an average of 18.9 months in European barrels . A portion of the wine was allowed to ferment solely on indigenous yeasts , giving additional complexity to its bouquet, flavour and body. The wine completed malolactic fermentation and sur lie aging to impart a silky, elegant texture. The unfined, unfiltered wine was bottled in May of at our Sonoma Winery. (6 x 75 cl)