Haarmeyer Wine Cellars - Chenin Blanc "Vieux Chenin" Clarksburg 2022 (13.86% abv)

the top Chenin release from Haarmeyer! Even rarer than the "En Foudre" cuvee and you know how much we love that wine. only got a case.

a powerful, Burgundian Chenin, more akin to a top tier Pouilly Fuisse. Supple, impeccable oak integration, laser like acidity, a core of salty minerality, crunchy tree fruit, long finish.

The Baranek Vineyard is located in a land-locked portion of central Clarkburg in silty clay loam soils. It’s the oldest planting of Chenin in the AVA (1978) by the first people to plant grapes in Clarksburg. In 1960 they planted Chenin Blanc and Colombard. John Baranek, the second generation, wrote the Clarksburg AVA. He tells me that the budwood used is of Wente origin and free of virus. This is a very exciting find for us and we are trying to secure a lease on the last 4 acres of this delta gem. Trained VSP, these old vines are still producing an abundance of fruit; about 4 tons to the acre in ‘22. 

The Cellar: 

Hand harvested, basket pressed to tank for an overnight settle, the must was racked to neutral puncheons and barriques for an unaided fermentation. Malolactic fermentation occurred spontaneously. The wine was aged on gross lees without battonage and bottled without fining or filtration. 

Harvested August 22 

22.1 Brix         3.5pH     84 cases bottled August 15, 2023

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