2005 Ryo-fu Chardonnay

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Vineyards:	Keefer Ranch 40%, Heintz Ranch 40% and Black Emerald 20%
Barrel fermentation and aging:	100% French oak, 33% new, 67% 1 year old, fermented and aged 13 months sur lies
Bottled:	December 1, 2006
Production:	469 cases

The 2005 Freeman Ryo-fu Chardonnay combines the attributes of three unique Russian River Vineyards. Each of these sites could certainly make a stand alone wine, but we feel the blend of the Chardonnay from the three properties makes a very complex and intriguing wine. The vines at each vineyard are the oldest vines from which Freeman buys grapes, all dating back to the early 1980s.

Since 2003 Freeman has been buying Charlie Hentz’s Chardonnay from his Green Valley vineyard, at the far western reaches of the Russian River Valley. The farming at Heintz is done on a vine by vine basis by Charlie and his crew, and they cater to every demand we ask of them. It is year in and year out Freeman’s last fruit of the year in this extremely late-ripening site. 2005 was no exception with a very long, cool growing season.

Dennis and Mary Black’s vineyard, named Black Emerald, lies on Vine Hill Road, in the heart of the Russian River, almost directly across the street from Kistler Vineyard. 2005 is the second year we have been sourcing their wonderfully rich and opulent Chardonnay. Typically this vineyard ripens a couple of weeks before the Heintz Ranch, but not so in 2005, as the two vineyards were harvested a day apart in early November.

A new addition to the Freeman line up in 2005 was Chardonnay from the Keefer Ranch. Marcy Keefer and her son Craig Strehlow started selling Pinot Noir to Freeman in 2004, but we had to wait an additional year to try their Chardonnay. The vineyard is also in the Green Valley, west of Black Emerald and east of Heintz Ranch. The flavors are unique to this site as they combine solid acidity with fully ripe pear and melon characteristics.

The 2005 Ryo-fu Chardonnay offers up aromas of lemon custard with hints of grilled almonds and hazelnuts in the nose. There’s a complex mid palate marked by a rich mouthfeel filled with stone fruits and good acidity. A long finish follows with some beautiful French oak making an appearance which rounds out the flavors. It’s a very accessible wine at a young age, but we feel it will also benefit from another year in the bottle.