If you like big, voluptuous Chardonnays the Arsonist is for you. There is enough sumptuous fruit and toasty oak to satisfy the classic-California Chard lover.
History of Success:90 Points from Wine Enthusiast for the 2016 vintage! " . . . oaky flavors that are nevertheless backed by ripe, juicy pear and ginger notes. These tones expand on the palate and linger on the finish."
Matchbook’s 2017 The Arsonist Chardonnay is a luscious blend of the best barrel lots of estate-grown fruit. A beautiful golden straw color opens to aromas of toasty oak, crème brûlèe, brown sugar and mango. Dense flavors of pineapple, caramel apples and baking spices are layered over creamy buttery notes and a touch of vanilla. This is a full-bodied Chardonnay loaded with opulent flavors that are well-integrated and balanced.
We picked our Chardonnay clones 4 and 124 (Dijon) at night. The estate fruit went from vine to crusher in less than 30 minutes, arriving well before sunrise to ensure the fresh, fruit flavors were preserved. We used a yeast cocktail (a mixture of our winemaker’s favorite compatible yeasts) in all of the lots to ensure that complex fermentation characters evolved. These lots were barrel fermented, with frequent stirring of the lees. 100% of the barrel lots went through malolactic fermentation. We then selected 10% of the finest barrel lots and allowed them to age an additional six months while maintaining a frequent stirring program. The barrels were evaluated again and only half of the original top 10% were selected for the final blend of the 2017 Arsonist Chardonnay.
Pairings
The Arsonist Chardonnay has enough depth of flavor to hold up to lobster, pasta with a cream sauce and, for the adventurous, a well-marbled steak.
