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In 1905, the Jewell family began their initial adventure west from Kansas. Over rail & ship, they traveled to Catalina Island off of the southern California coast for a family vacation. Finding solace in the moderate climate from the midwest Summers and Winters, they fell in love with the west coast. Generations later they would find themselves planting roots in the Humboldt County hills among the mighty redwoods and fog-shrouded coast.
This medium-bodied Chardonnay introduces itself with immediate notes of complex minerality, bright, citrus-driven lemon, and floral notes of honeysuckle. Toasted almonds, ripe yellow apple, honey, and graphite are all out for aroma’s attention. Silky peach on the palate, this wine boasts a bright mouth-watering acidity and mirrors the aroma profile with its fresh, bright, yellow apple, honeysuckle, and lemon. A long finish rewards you with crisp pear, lemon zest, and grapefruit.
2021
On the heels of 2020, which was a rollercoaster of difficult decisions due to COVID and late-season fires, it wasn’t hard to have a vintage that seemed great. In hindsight, however, 2021 was the vintage of a lifetime. We had a dry and cold winter that was followed by a warm spring which led to a balanced fruit set. The lack of rain created smaller yields and more concentrated fruit. We had a very cool August and September, allowing the vines to fully develop phenolic ripeness without compromising the acidity or aromatics in the wines. With time, the 2021 Vintage will prove to be one of the best vintages in California history for Pinot Noir.
Located in the Middle Reach part of the Russian River Valley, working with this iconic vineyard is an honor. The list of well-known wineries producing a Ritchie Chardonnay is long. This release puts Jewell in good company. Kent Ritchie happens to be a neighbor in Forestville and neighborly conversations over the fence for the past few years have paid off. This site is known for producing world-class Chardonnay that have the power and boldness potential of Chardonnay as well as the minerality and the focus that define some of the great white Burgundies. That is attributed to its proximity to the Russian River and the cooling effect it has on this site and the unique soil type that blankets Ritchie. The soil beneath the surface is very unique to this site, it is classified as Goldridge soil, but has a large content of Tufa, which is a layout of white volcanic ash. This adds to the tension and freshness you get from this vineyard.
