Madson Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2023
Established in 2018, Madson Wines is owned and operated by Cole Thomas, Ken Swegles and Abbey Chrystal, three friends who share a passion for their place in California's Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticultural Area (AVA). To produce wines that simultaneously convey that enthusiasm and preserve the land with which they work, they are committed to organic practices and regenerative agriculture in the vineyards, enriching the soil and sequestering carbon dioxide to increase biodiversity and help improve the local watershed. Cellar work is light-handed, too, with all fermentation occurring naturally and spontaneously, and adding just a small amount of sulfur at bottling. This is an elegant, textural and mineral driven version of chardonnay that showcases lemon pith, seashell, and bright acidity. Organically grown, sustainably grown, low-intervention/natural wine.
We produce Chardonnay at Madson by crushing the fruit to start and allowing 1 hour of skin maceration. We then press extremely gently to only extract the best juice from the berries and avoid harsh tannin and higher pressures. Our extraction yields are slightly lower to prioritize the quality of the juice. From here we move the juice to neutral oak barrels pre-fermentation. Multiple fermentations in the barrels result in added layers of flavor and complexity. Once the wine is dry, we top the barrels and age the wine sur-lie for 9 months. The following summer we move the wine to stainless for 2 additional months to re-tighten and finish elevage before bottling. Please expect some solids and tartrates in the bottle. Enjoy now or cellar 5-8 years for savoring at its peak.
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Varietal | Chardonnay |
| Appellation | Santa Cruz Mountains |
| Alcohol | 12.90% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Country of Origin | UNITED STATES |
| State of Origin | California |
| Artificially Carbonated | No |
| Sparkling Wine | No |
