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Wine Description
The Story
Dobles Lias means 'double lees' in Spanish and it refers to the extended lees contact used for this small bottling of Chardonnay. Lees are essentially the yeasts that remain at the boom of the barrel after finishing the primary fermentation. Extended lees contact, a traditional Burgundian technique used in conjunction with barrel fermentation, adds richness (texture) and complexity as the yeast cells break down (yeast autolysis), releasing amino acids. Lees stirring (bâtonage) is done periodically to contribute complexity.
Wine Information
Production: 140 cases
The Vinification
The grapes were harvested October 6 - 20, whole-cluster pressed and barrel fermented. Lees were stirred through the malolactic fermentation. In May 2013 we set aside six barrels for the future Dobles Lías. When bottling the 2012 Chardonnay, we took the lees from the barrels being bottled and added them to the selected six barrels. After giving the wine just the right amount of oak aging, in March 2014 we transferred the wine to stainless steel “casks”, where it remained on its 'double lees' until bottled, unfiltered, in May 2014 — so total aging sur lie (on the lees) was 18 months.
The Clones and the Barrels
The clones selected for this bottling were 1/3 each See, Rued, and Spring Mountain. The French oak barrels were coopered by Damy from the forest of Allier: 33% new oak and 67% one-year old.
Tasting Notes
After skipping the difficult 2011 vintage for this bottling, in 2012 we were able to produce 140 cases that reflect the classic character of our Dobles Lías — scents of caramel custard and tapioca pudding contributed by the lees and some hazelnut from the elegant oak. The creaminess of the lees and the freshness of the fruit linger on the palate, which is round and mouthfilling, with a long finish that augurs a long life. I would recommend serving it at 48-50° F for maximum enjoyment.
