Wine Advocate 98
"I tasted the 2021 Chardonnay Belle Cte as a finished tank sample the day before it was bottled. From vines planted in 1990, it was matured for 12 months in 40% new French oak. It offers lush aromas of baked apples and apricots, jasmine, biscuit, nutmeg and cream with spicy, floral nuances arising as it airs in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and expansive with streaks of flint and focused acidity to balance its generous fruit. Expressive and inviting, it's a pleasure to drink now, yet the way it transforms in the glass suggests it will also develop positively in the cellar over the next decade or more. 2,159 cases were made, and it will be released in February of 2023."

Winemaker Tasting Notes
"Intense aromas of orange blossom, nectarine, peach, and rose petals showcase the marriage of remarkable old-vine Chardonnay with an exceptionally unique terroir in the 2020 Belle Cte. The rich, beautifully creamy entry with mouthfeel is followed by a broad, powerful yet balanced mid-palate and an extraordinarily long finish. Hints of toasted almond and pain dpices embrace an expressive core of marmalade, custard, and nougat. A wonderfully balanced wine, the 2020 Belle Cte is approachable in its youth but will continue to blossom for more than a decade."

The Wine
Vinification
100% naturally fermented using native yeast
100% barrel-fermented in 100% French oak from select artisan coopers
Barrel-aged sur lies for twelve months with weekly btonnage

Vintage Notes
The year 2021 saw the first February with no rainfall in recorded history. The rains eventually arrived, with some particularly late stormsinto May and even the very beginning of June. The late spring rainfall produced a good water profile in the soil at the beginning of the growing season. As a result, the fruit set was variable in our Chardonnay vineyards, bringing lower yields but high-quality fruit.

For our Knights Valley Estate Chardonnay vineyards, 2021 was overall a cooler growing season punctuated with a series of heat spikes in August and September. The Chardonnay harvest spanned six weeks, with the first Ma Belle-Fille block harvested on August 19 and the last Belle Cte block coming in on September 30.