Qupe, "Y" Block Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, California, USA, 2016

Qupé focuses on cool climate expressions of Rhône varietals along the Central Coast of Santa Barbara Country.

Due to a their positioning, right next to the cool Pacific Ocean, they are set apart from most other regions of California. They are a proud member of the Rhone Rangers, America’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines. Their founder, Bob Lindquist, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 and the Californian poppy logo of the winery is now world renowned.

VITICULTURE

The 2016 edition of this wine comes primarily from Bien Nacido Vineyard in the cool Santa Maria Valley of Northern Santa Barbara County, and primarily from the Y Block, a 15 acre custom block planted exclusively for Qupé in 2005. Y Block is planted on gravel and sandy river bench type soil directly behind the winery. We have three clones planted there: clone 4, and Dijon clones 76 and 96.

WINEMAKING

As with all of their Chardonnays, this wine was made using traditional techniques—whole cluster pressed, chilled overnight in tank, then transferred directly to barrel for fermentation and aging and a fair proportion of the lees. For barrels they use primarily François Fréres Burgundy barrels, about 20% new. We also incorporate some other new barrels that are designated for Syrah, just for the fermentation. This technique adds a little more new oak to the Chardonnay and takes some of the edge off the barrel when it is used for Syrah. The wine was aged on the lees for 9 months and went through complete malo in the barrel. Shortly before bottling, the wine is racked for the first time, fined and cold stabilized, then given a light filtration before bottling.

TASTING NOTE

The aromas are classic Santa Barbara Chardonnay with hints of pears, apples and citrus, nicely framed with beautiful French oak. In the mouth, the wine is succulent and balanced with fresh acidity.

FOOD PAIRING

The obvious match would be chicken with a creamy sauce but pork would work equally as well.