Chardonnay Kiln-Dried 2015, Reif Estate Winery

Description from the Producer

VQA NIAGARA RIVER
TASTING NOTESThe grapes for this wine were dried in our kilns to allow for 20% concentration of the juices. Concentrated aromas and flavours of butterscotch and honeyed fruit with a rich nuttiness on the palate. Pair with Cornish Hen with almond and apricot stuffing, smoked salmon pasta and aged Gouda.
VINTAGE & VITICULTUREWe experienced a relatively mild and dry winter and early spring. Bud break was about 2 weeks earlier and May brought in summer like weather. The rest of the season remained warm and allowed grapes to reach ripeness not seen in a couple of years. All fruit used in this wine were hand harvested selecting some of the ripest cleanest fruit on the farm. Grapes harvested from vines planted in 1982, our oldest block.
WINEMAKER’S NOTESThe fruit was hand harvested and rinsed with ozone water. Grapes were gently placed in ventilated baskets and then stacked on racks. The racks were placed in our kilns and allowed to dry in the kilns for 12 days. The drying was done by slowly increasing the temperature and air flow over the 12 days. Original brix was 23-24 brix, after drying the brix was just over 27. Fermentation went for 14 days in new French and American and aged for a further 24 months.

RESIDUAL SUGAR: 3.4g/L
BRIX AT HARVEST: 23
TOTAL ACIDITY: 5g/L
AGING IN OAK: 24 months
RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2018
AGEABILITY: 7 - 10