Why the Best Chardonnay Being Made Now Is Grown at High Altitude

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As wine lovers’ tastes in Chardonnay have moved from picky and buttery to lean and racier, faster, more flavorful versions are popular. Some of California’s prime regions have one thing in common: they are cultivated in high mountain locations. Difficult growing conditions, low water, sun-filled days—often above the fog line—and cool nights create a greater intensity of flavor and a combination of vivid acidity that has become a hallmark of the best Chardonnays around. While some Chardonnays were originally planted at high altitudes because growers preferred valley floor vineyards for their prized Cabernet Sauvignon, Mountain Chardonnay has proven to be an enduring style that has set new standards for the wine world.

“Elevation does a lot of things for our Chardonnay,” says Katie Vogt, winemaker at Pahlmeyer in Napa Valley. “The two factors that are most important are soil composition and where the vineyard sits above the fog line.” Pehl Meyer Chardonnay is made mostly with grapes from three vineyards on the Atlas Peaks: Stagecoach, which sits at 1,750 feet above sea level, Water Fields, which has an elevation of 2,100 feet, and Antica Estate, which is located at 1,600 feet. Vogt likes Atlas Peak because it offers what she calls “the best of both worlds,” mountain soils that are rocky and shallow, which directly affect water-holding capacity and vitality, and coastal influence, offering cooling effects from nearby San Pablo Bay.

North in Napa Valley, winemaker Chris Carpenter crafts La Jota WS Keys Vineyard Chardonnay from a privileged site on Hole Mountain that rises from 1,600 to 1,825 feet. Noting that Chardonnay needs cool conditions to do well, Carpenter said that in Napa, winemakers are limited to the southern part of the valley near the bay or to very specific locations in the mountains. He attributes his wine’s well-preserved acidity, strong flavor concentration, and “incredible energy” to the mountain’s daily shift, or temperature difference between day and night. Days are sunny thanks to this position above the fog line, while things cool down quickly in the evenings. While it’s primarily the cool nights that maintain acidity and freshness, preventing Chardonnay from becoming overripe, aging beyond the fog line is critical to developing full flavors. Although daily fog is a boon for grapes in otherwise warm Valley Flour vineyards, “in a cooler vintage, that extra sunshine becomes very valuable,” Vogt said. Rob Report

Atop the mountains in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley, Alexander Mountain State Vineyards is planted with Chardonnay starting at 800 feet and rising to about 1,800 feet above sea level in the upper vineyard. Most of these vineyards sit within the inversion layer—meaning they are covered by fog in the early part of the day—which offers a cooling effect and indirect sunlight in the middle of the day, explains winemaker Christina Schedler. “This mesoclimate creates that is absolutely critical to our ability to grow Chardonnay that maintains acidity and finesse in the otherwise warm climate of the Alexander Valley,” she says. Schedler also points out that high-altitude plantings also benefit from complex soil types that result from tectonic and volcanic activity that formed the mountains millions of years ago. “Although the valley floor is fairly undisturbed, the soil at higher elevations is gravel, with parent material ranging from volcanic rock to schist,” she explains.

Although the height is lower in STA. Lorna Kreutz, director of winemaking at Folly Estate, says the Rita Hills Ava in western Santa Barbara County, the rare position of the Western Mountain Range—west to east—”allows cool oceanic influence to infiltrate the vineyard and create ideal cool conditions for growing high-quality Chardonnay.” His Rancho Santa Rosa Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay is grown in a vineyard between 534 and 977 feet. Even at these moderate altitudes, the strength of the sunlight – which is what the Creutz refers to as the intensity of the image – is increased, which, combined with the restrained rather than fertile soil, results in fruits with a “depth of character”.

“Mountain farming is not for the faint of heart,” Vogt says. “Mother Nature is unforgiving in challenging mountain growing conditions.” She explains that one of the biggest differences between growing grapes at high altitudes compared to the valley floor is how irrigation is managed, primarily because fertile valley soils have a greater water-holding capacity. Kreutz brings up the topic of canopy management, explaining that It is safer to trim the vine canopy earlier in the season to allow more sunlight without fear of sunburn on the fruit, especially in fog-prone areas. The idea is to let the site-driven characteristics shine through, so, as Carpenter tells us, it is important to adjust the selection appropriately and consider the use of oak and overall aging times.

Although wine lovers note two distinct styles in the Old World versus the New World, most high-altitude winemakers look to Burgundy as the inspiration for their Chardonnay profile. That said, Kreutz sees Chardonnay grown in another cold region, Champagne, as a guide to the character she’s looking for, because she believes that without Chardonnay, many Champagne wines would lack balance. “I like wines that are bold in acidity and food-friendly. I think chardonnays are perfect with a ribbon of acidity inspired by racy champagne,” she says. Vogt throws his weight behind Burgundy’s Chardonnays, which he believes “show the world that Chardonnay can be serious, grown and compelling.” At Pahl Maier, she embraces barrel fermentation and aging on lees to add texture and rich mauve, techniques also supported by winemakers at Folly Estate, Stonestreet, and La Jota. Recent years have seen an about-face in the type of Chardonnay favored by consumers, and if you count yourself among the group of people who enjoy this leaner style of Chardonnay, you might be best off heading for the hills.

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