Chardonnay Musqué
2024

Chardonnay Musqué

Monterey

This wine comes from a small vineyard on the Chalone Bench off the Gavilan Mountains at about 1,800 feet elevation, near the Pinnacles National Park within Monterey County. Vines grow on the same type of sparse, reddish soil underlain by limestone as produces the great French Burgundies along the Cote d’Or. Thus each bottle is filled with the essence of the soil – the French gout de terrior – which gives the wine a fullness of bouquet and flavor unique to this vineyard.

$50

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Tasting Notes

"Musqué is a French term applied to certain grape varieties or clones and means both perfumed (“musky”) and Muscat-like, indicating that the variety or clone is highly aromatic. The Chardonnay Musqué clone expresses delightful, perfumed notes and holds a distinctive quality that sets it apart from any other type of Chardonnay.

This 2024 Chardonnay Unoaked showcases the region’s intense sunshine and unique limestone soils through a vibrant, pure aromatic profile of ripe pear, banana, and sweet honey, punctuated by delicate notes of orange blossom and honeysuckle. The palate is exceptionally bright, defined by hints of citrus and a mouthwatering acidity that keeps the tropical layers of melon, ripe pineapple, and lychee focused and crisp. The wine highlights a deep, chalky minerality and zesty grapefruit on the finish, reflecting the rugged, arid terrain from which it hails. "

Wine Data

Origin: Monterey County
Alcohol content: 14.8%
Varietal: Chardonnay
Acid: 6.5 g/L
pH: 3.49
Composition: 100% Chardonnay Musqué

Wine Fact Sheet

Several years ago, our Chalone vineyard manager, Richard Boer, came across a uniquely expressive Chardonnay vine in the MacWood vineyard site on our estate and decided to graft it over to more vines. As a result, we now have 1.7 acres planted of the aromatic Chardonnay Musqué clone.