Our 2008 Bench Blend Chardonnay is creamy and complex, displaying intense fruit aromas and flavors of white peach and ripe pear. The stone fruit combine with toasty oak, vanilla and cocunut notes that extend through the rich, lingering finish. The fruit was hand-harvested and then gently pressed as whole clusters prior to fermentation to maintain varietal aromas and flavors. The Chardonnay wine was aged in 40% used European oak barrels and 60% new French oak barrels for 16 months. The wine was filtered and fined and bottle aged for 6 months prior to release.