2016 Chardonnay Bald Mountain 'Oeuf en Béton'

This is Beauregard’s new Concrete Egg project produced using all Bald Mountain Chardonnay. The wine spent just under 1 years on lees in the concrete egg before being bottled and only 77 cases were produced. It was harvested earlier than what most California producers find appropriate but at the ripeness and racy acidity in which our Chardonnays have become acclaimed for. Native fermentation clicked along for an extend 3 months until going bone dry inside the concrete tank. Why the concrete egg tank? MINERALITY. Chardonnay's most interesting characteristic in the Santa Cruz Mountains is the minerality. Unlike aging in stainless steel, the egg will impart no flavor on the wine, and, will micro-oxygenate the wine similarly to a barrel but without any flavors of oak. The purity of fruit and terroir will be striking. The nose is perfumed with notes of white flowers, green apple, and lemon zest. The palate is round, soft and creamy. On the palate the wine has flavors similar to the nose with wet stones and oyster shells on the finish that remind you that this vineyard sits on the edge of the pacific ocean. This wine will get better and better with time and I firmly believe this wine should be rested for at least 2-3 more years for it to really hit its stride. The wine is delicious now, but the best side of this wine will emerge with a bit of time.If consuming this wine in its youth, please decant for at least an hour and serve at or just below cellar temperature (50-55F) in a large Burgundy stem, please not too cold or the wine’s personality will be lost.