Producer Notes for 2020 Racines Chardonnay Wenzlau Family Vineyard - Racines is a collaboration by two classic houses from France, led by Etienne de Montille and Brian Sieve of Burgundy and Rodolphe Peters of Champagne. The team came together to join their individual experiences in hand-crafting wines of purity and transparency to create a range of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the cool climate of the Sta. Rita Hills in California. Our newest single vineyard chardonnay is sourced solely from the Wenzlau Vineyard, one of our estate holdings. We farm the vineyard ourselves using organic practices. Wenzlau Vineyard sits surrounded by Rita’s Crown, Mt. Carmel, and Sea Smoke Vineyards, on a steep, dramatic hillside just above the Santa Ynez River and across from the famed Sanford & Benedict Vineyard. The wines were fermented in a combination of 500L puncheons, 350L barrels and 228L barriques, resulting in about 20% new oak on the wine. After nearly a year in barrel, the wines and all the lees were moved to tank for an additional five months of cellaring. Elevage - 11 months - 20% new French oak - 5 months in stainless steel