Cartlidge and Browne, Chardonnay, North Coast, California, USA, 2022

Producer Profile

In 1980, the same year Ronald Reagan came to power and JR was shot in 'Dallas', with no money to buy vineyards and seeing no reason to, Tony Cartlidge started his winery in an undistinguished Napa Valley garage.

Possibly the original Californian 'garagiste' he set out to source the best possible grapes to handcraft his wines in this unassuming home. Nearly 40 years later, still sourcing from vineyards as wide ranging as Sonoma to the Sierra foothills, continuing to produce high quality wines, Cartlidge & Browne has become a byword for varietally pure Californian wines, whilst sticking to their garagiste roots of taking a different path.

Viticulture

Sourced from some of the best family owned vineyards in Clarksburg and Lodi – some with lively acid, others that lend weight and substance on the palate.

Winemaking

Fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged on yeast lees for an additional 6 weeks to improve mouthfeel and complexity. Only partial malolactic fermentation was done to maintain natural acidity.

Oak Ageing

Time: 6 Months
Type: French
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 20

Tasting Note

Burgundian in style with elegant mineral complexity combined with the slightest of caramel and brown sugar notes. Aromas of a green apples and honeysuckle lead to a palate that is both silky and generous. Flavors of pear, melon and light citrus with aromatics of straw, lemon and oak tones of sweet caramel and hazelnut.

Food Matching

Very versatile, well balanced with excellent acidity and will perfectly pair with a number of foods. Seafood dishes, grilled chicken, pork or veal.