Walter Hansel
'North Slope' Chardonnay 2010
REGION: Russian River Valley
VARIETALS: 100% Chardonnay
PRICE: $67.00 /bottle
FORMAT: 12 x 750ml
AVAILABLE 9 cases
DRINKABILITY: now thru 2020
93 POINTS - Wine Advocate
(Issue #206 April 2013)
"The 2010 Chardonnay North Slope is all about density and material. An imposing, powerful Chardonnay, the North Slope will appeal most to readers who like intense, buttery wines. Here too, I am amazed by the positive development the wine has had over the last year. Butterscotch, hazelnuts and spices are layered into the generous, inviting finish. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018."
92 POINTS - Stephen Tanzer (May 2012)
"Vivid yellow. Lively, spice-accented aromas of tangerine, melon and white flowers, with toasty lees and sweet butter accents adding depth. Offers an array of citrus fruit and spice flavors, with suave honeysuckle and brioche nuances emerging with air. Lingers impressively on the finish, which shows nervy orange pith and ginger character."
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The Story
At Walter Hansel Winery, the emphasis is on low yields (which range from 1.5 to 2.7 tons/acre), precise viticulture and non-interventionist winemaking. Stephen Hansel (Walter's son) exercises strict control in the vineyards, producing beautiful - vineyard designated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
All of Hansel's fruit is hand-harvested, and it is re-examined again at the winery. Stephen makes an average of 9 passes through each vineyard including one pass just to pull the second crop. Each pass is time consuming and expensive but Stephen feels the vine rewards him with more concentrated flavours. The winery uses only natural yeast during fermentation. The Chardonnays are whole cluster pressed into French oak for fermentation. The primary fermentation is kept cool to slowly complete in 2-3 weeks. Malolactic fermentation can last until early spring the next year. The resulting wines are beautifully balanced combining complexity and finesse.
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