Garrett Bowlus likes to play with clay and concrete vessels. But for his Cuvee Beaudry Chardonnay, the Albatross Ridge winemaker considered a different approach: “What if we just use neutral oak?”
OK, so aging wine in wooden barrels is not a revolutionary concept. But the Cuvee Beaudry is blended from Chardonnay that rested separately in barrels used one, two and three years. It’s a way to narrow the influence of oak on the flavor profile
The 2019 vintage offers an inviting wisp of tropical minerality on the nose with hints of peeled banana. The wine becomes even more welcoming once you take a sip, as the fresh appeal of citrus and quince race across your senses, leaving earthier notions struggling to keep up. That rich impression of banana brings it all together, and it’s a reminder of the winemaking process.
“I know exactly which barrel you’re talking about,” Bowlus says, referring to the genteel note of banana left by wood. “That was one year French oak.”
Parts of the blend from two and three year barrels have little strength left to influence the wine as it ages. Throughout the year, Bowlus and his team sample from each barrel, settling on a proper blend just before bottling. The effort develops a wine that is lean and brisk, yet with just enough heft.
“If I had to pick out one of our wines, that’s my go to,” Bowlus admits. “That’s my favorite style to drink.”
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