2014 Foley Estates JA Ranch Chardonnay

There’s only one way to describe the Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard: serene. Located in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County, these stunning hillsides feature vines that climb from 500 to 1,000 feet above sea level. The soils are marine-based and the weather is consistently cool thanks to moist ocean breezes that sweep the property daily. The vineyard is farmed with the painstaking care and attention usually associated with much smaller properties. In fact, this vineyard was originally conceived as a series of individual micro-vineyards delineated by soil, exposure, elevation, grade, rootstock and clone. 2014 was an abundant vintage for the third straight year. A hotter than average spring led to the earliest bud break on record. Conditions remained ideal from bloom to set, and the warm growing season produced grape clusters with larger than average berry size. The fruit achieved optimal ripeness within a shortened time frame, translating to rich flavors in the wines produced in this vintage. The yields were high in quantity and quality, with harvest lasting from August 19 – October 10, 2014.