WINEMAKER NOTES

Our 2021 Manchester Ridge Chardonnay is light and vibrant, revealing aromas of vanilla, lemon rind, and hints of green apple on the nose. On the palate, you’ll find a perfect harmony of fruit, acidity, and baking spices, with flavors of lime, butterscotch, and pepper leading to a smooth finish of oak and butter.

WINEMAKING TECHNIQUES

Grapes are hand-picked at the break of dawn and promptly delivered to the winery, ensuring they remain cold. They are hand-sorted and whole-cluster pressed into French oak barrels. The juice then embarks on its barrel fermentation journey, aging gracefully sur lie for a duration of eleven months. We encourage a full 100% malolactic fermentation to harmonize the acidity. To enhance texture and complexity, we delicately stir the barrels twice a month (bâtonnage) for the initial five months. Finally, the wine is cleanly racked off the lees and prepared for bottling.

FRUIT SOURCE: MANCHESTER RIDGE VINEYARD

Located in Mendocino County, the Mendocino Ridge AVA is one of California's best-kept secret sources of spectacular fruit. The vineyard sits above the coastal fog at an elevation of 2,058ft, just west of Anderson Valley. Warm days and cool nights increase the hang time for ripening with harvest typically occurring one month later than our valley vineyards.

VINTAGE NOTES

In 2021, we faced numerous challenges. Low rainfall, early bud break, a continuing pandemic, and an intense drought season tested our resilience. However, these difficulties led to shorter yields and increased stress on the vines, resulting in more concentrated and unique fruit flavors that truly stand out.

THE WINERY

Bailarín Cellars was created in 2014 by a collective of family and friends, each following their respective passions. Together, we focus on producing small lots of handcrafted wines from unique vineyard sources. We are proud to share the fruits of our labor and love with you.