Banfield Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Chardonnay
The 10-acre, dry farmed Chardonnay block was planted between 1980 and 1981 to the Wente Selection of Chardonnay. These thick, gnarled vines rarely produce more than 2 tons per acre but what the lack in quantity they more than compensate in quality and intensity of flavor. Row spacing is wide which was typical of the farming style in that era. The soil composition of the vineyard is sandy loam and river gravel. The Chardonnay is planted to the coolest part of the property and is generally picked about the same time as the Zinfandel, if not later.