Kenwood 2006 Sonoma County Chardonnay
Brings Delicious Fruit in from the Cold

KENWOOD, SONOMA VALLEY, CA, July 30, 2007 - Chardonnay expresses classic fruit character when grown in a cold vineyard region, but when a cold region experiences a cold vintage, this popular grape can really excel. The delicious 2006 Kenwood Vineyards Sonoma County Chardonnay shows how Mother Nature and smart winemaking create magic.

Kenwood Vineyards draws on Chardonnay vineyards in the coldest corners of Sonoma County - Russian River Valley and the southern Sonoma Valley - to get the fresh, crisp fruit character for which this grape is renowned. The unusually cold - and protracted - 2006 growing season gave the grapes intense fruit with distinctive green apple personality, but also gave them abundant natural acidity and exceptionally steely structure. To produce a Chardonnay of polish and complexity, 2/3 of the lightly pressed juice was fermented in small French oak barrels and aged on the yeast lees for six months. The majority of the barrels also underwent malolactic fermentation to enhance smoothness and balance. The remaining juice was cold fermented in stainless steel and aged in large upright oak tanks to keep the extraordinary Chardonnay fruit of this vintage "front and center" in the finished wine.

True to its cold climate origins, the 2006 Kenwood Vineyards Chardonnay displays fresh, forward aromas of green apple, pear and citrus, with just a hint of tropical fruit in the background. Vibrant flavors of apple and pear are accented by tropical fruit and spice notes. Medium-bodied yet polished on the palate, this structured Chardonnay finishes long and delicately crisp. With 70,000 cases produced, the 2006 Kenwood Vineyards Sonoma County Chardonnay is refreshingly easy to find. It is available in nationally at a suggested retail of $15.

Established in 1970 in the heart of the Sonoma Valley, Kenwood Vineyards handcrafts premium Sonoma County wines that showcase the region's world class vineyards.

Drink responsibly.