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2007 Antithesis Chardonnay
Production Notes
The 2007 Tablas Creek Vineyard Antithesis Chardonnay is Tablas Creek’s eigth bottling of this traditional Burgundian varietal. In the early 1990s, we imported all our Rhône varietal cuttings from France. At the same time, at the request of a Sonoma winery, we imported the highly regarded small-berry, low-vigor Chardonnay clone named “La Vineuse” and planted 1.5 acres to produce a small amount of bud wood for sale. Three years later, we got our first small crop of Chardonnay.
After tasting the grapes, we thought them so compelling that we made the “Antithesis” Chardonnay our first non-Rhône bottling, as well as our first single-varietal wine. We have continued to produce a small amount each year since.
Our Chardonnay grapes were grown on our 120-acre certified organic estate vineyard.
Chardonnay thrives in our chalky clay soils (much like those of Burgundy), and the cool nights in Paso Robles serve to balance the warm, sunny days. We chose a terraced north-east facing block above our grapevine nursery for the Chardonnay.
The 2007 vintage was the product of three yield-reducing factors. Both 2006 and 2005 were relatively high-production years, and we expected less production in 2007. In addition, the previous winter was dry (just over 30% of normal rainfall) and cold, both of which contributed to small berries and small clusters. Ripening over the summer was gradual and harvest just slightly earlier than normal. Crop sizes were down between 15% and 30% compared to 2006. The low yields resulted in wines with tremendous concentration, good acids and phenolic ripeness at lower than normal alcohols. The Chardonnay, as usual our earliest-ripening varietal, was harvested in one day on September 1st.
The Chardonnay grapes were whole cluster pressed, and fermented using native yeasts in a mix of neutral oak and stainless steel barrels to preserve the wine’s varietal and mineral character. The wine went through full malolactic fermentation in barrel. It was bottled in July 2008.
Tasting Notes
The 2007 Antithesis is intensely Chardonnay in character: pale gold in color, with a nose of lemon, pear, and mineral, a rich palate of spiced pear, citrus and butter, balanced by fresh acidity and a long, clean finish.
Reviews
[...more recent Tablas Creek press]
Recipe Suggestions
Food Pairings
- Chicken in cream sauce
- Light-fleshed fish
- Baked scallops
- Lobster with butter sauce
Not Available for Purchase
Blend
- 100% Chardonnay
Technical Notes
- 14.1% Alcohol by Volume
- 200 Cases Produced
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Paso Robles Rhone Rangers Experience 2/19
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Tablas Creek News
February Featured Wine: 2009 Tannat
Each month, we feature a wine that we feel is showing particularly well, and offer that wine at a 10% discount. The 2009 Tannat is dark and smoky, rich with fruit yet powerfully structured. The Wine Advocate gave it 90-93 points and called it "absolutely fabulous...with an opulent, full-bodied personality graced with exquisite inner perfume". Read more » or order online »
On the Blog: Mapping out Tablas Creek's future
February 1, 2012
It's been a busy couple of years for us. We expanded our winery, launched the Patelin de Tablas wines, and dove into Biodynamics. But perhaps the biggest investment we've made in the long-term success of Tablas Creek is the purchase of the 150-acre parcel to our south. Read more »