Chardonnay

100% Chardonnay from Mathew Rorick’s limestone vineyard site. The vines sit on very steep, east-facing slopes, and are farmed with minimal inputs in Murphys, CA. 10 months on the lees, full malolatic fermentation, no oak used. Only 123 cases produced. La Clarine Farm Hank Beckmeyer and his wife, Caroline Hoel, met in the 80s while he was on tour in Europe with his band Half Japanese. Hank left the band and the tour to remain with Caroline in Europe, and over the years they would take trips to the south of France, drink a bunch of Bandol at Domaine Tempier, and discuss how much they loved what these smaller producers were doing. They eventually decided to make wine themselves, and California seemed like the right place to do it. In 2001, the two settled in Somerset (El Dorado County, Sierra Foothills) at a site 2600 feet up in the foothills and planted a few acres of vines - mostly Tempranillo but also Syrah, Tannat, Grenache, Negroamaro, Cabernet Sauvignon, and some unknown varieties t