Product Overview
Winery Notes
"Our 2021 Freedom Hill Chardonnay is erupting with powerful aromas of tangerine blossom and Meyer lemon layered with lemon balm and ginger. The palate is a balance of density and elegance, with a razor-sharp acidity, limestone texture, and an intense saline minerality in the finish."
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: Mt. Pisgah AVA
Vineyard Designation: Freedom Hill Vineyard
Aging: 12 months in French oak, 35% new, followed by 3 months in stainless steel tank
Farming Practices: Organic
Production: 365 cases
95+ Points - Wine Advocate
"2021 saw a particularly smooth, eventless growing season that allowed growers to pick at their leisure—Ken Pahlow says he pushed back the harvest date four times as mild weather allowed the grapes to ripen without spikes in sugar or drops in acidity. The 2021 Chardonnay Freedom Hill Vineyard has opened significantly since I last tasted it in October of 2023, though it still wears characteristic, flinty reduction and requires plenty of air to reveal deeper tones of peach, green guava, tangerine, honey and exotic, herbal undertones. The palate features concentrated flavors and a weightless feel due to its silky texture and vibrant acidity. It's a wine that offers generosity and precision and it will be long lived." -EB, 2/29/24
95 Points - Vinous
"The 2021 Chardonnay Freedom Hill Vineyard opens with a dusty bouquet, blending young peach, kiwi skins, ground ginger nuances, sage and wet stone. Silky, medium-weight textures wash across the palate, taking on a stern mineral inflection as juicy acidity enlivens its tart orchard fruits. The 2021 tapers off remarkably fresh, nearly crispy in feel with a floral thrust and lingering saline tinge. The Freedom Hill is a crowd-pleaser but should not be overlooked by the more serious collectors because this beauty is built to age." -EG, Jan/2024
94 Points, "Editors' Choice" - Wine Enthusiast
"Roasted pear and toasted filbert aromas match nicely with wee notes of butter and piney juniper berries. Vibrant acidity and a crisp texture underscore tangy quince, lemon, fennel and sage tea flavors. This is a lithe and lively Chardonnay with an enduring finish." -MA, 9/1/23
