2019 | Littorai | Charles Heintz Chardonnay

Detailed Description

The 2019 vintage is characterised by aromas of peach, lemon zest, pineapple, vanilla bean, roasted hazelnuts, together with notes of wet gravel, allspice and Meyer lemon. There is plenty of richness on the palate which is beautifully balanced by refreshing acidity.

Producer Information

Littorai is a small, family-owned producer in Sonoma focusing on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The estate makes a range of single-vineyard wines from these two varieties, sourced from a range of contract growers, leased vineyards and estate vines in the Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley AVAs. The estate was founded in 1993 by Heidi and Ted Lemon. Combined, they brought experience from numerous stop estates including Romanée-Conti, Dujac and Georges Roumier as well as Domaine Chandon and Stag’s Leap Cellars. The Lemons bought a 12 hectare (30 acre) farm in western Sonoma County in 2003. Only around 2ha (5 acres) of this is planted to vines, with the remainder devoted to pasture with cows and hay for compost, and to undeveloped streams and woods. The estate vines, which make the Pivot Pinot Noir, are farmed without fertilizers according to biodynamic principles. Littorai’s winery building, completed in 2008, is made from insulating reinforced straw bales, with natural ventilation for temperature control. Juice and wine is transported via gravity to prevent excess oxidation and preserve the phenolic compounds.