Walter Hansel Cuvée Alyce Chardonnay 2023

Walter Hansel Cuvée Alyce Chardonnay 2023

All of our chardonnay is picked and immediately pressed as whole clusters. The grape juice is moved into 100% French oak from 2 coopers; Francois Freres and Sequin Moreau. New wood varies from 20% of the total to 26% depending on the year and the ripeness. We ferment in oak and

Begin malolactic fermentation when the primary is about 90% complete. We stir the barrels weekly for close to 2 months to gain richness from the lees.

By January the wine is finished and remains in barrel for 9 months before bottling.

Cuvee Alyce is produced from 3 clones; 2 Wente selections and Dijon clone 95. This is the first block to ripen and is our richest Chardonnay offering.

Region
California

Appellation
Russian River Valley

Varietals
Chardonnay

Vineyard
Hansel Estate Vineyard-Cuvee Alyce. This vineyard has the highest elevation of the Hansel estate vineyards

Soil
Combination of gravel and sandy soil

Viticulture
Hand harvested and manually sorted-once in the vineyard and once at the sorting table in the winery

Vinification
The Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed into French oak for fermentation. The primary fermentation lasts 2-3 weeks and the malolactic fermentation can last into the following spring. Cuvee Alyce is a barrel selection of the most concentrated barrels from all of the Hansel Estate Vineyard sites.

Aging
50% new and 50% one year Seguin Moreau barrels. Barrel fermented and aged for 10 months.

Notes
Walter Hansel Cuvée Alyce Chardonnay tends to be the most opulent of the Chardonnays from Walter Hansel with beautiful depth and richness.

Reviews

Jeb Dunnuck – “The 2023 Walter Hansel Cuvee Alyce Chardonnay offers more clarity in the range and is lifted with notes of preserved lemon, apricot, honeycomb, and wet stones. It’s full-bodied, with a weightless, silky texture and elegant notes of hazelnut coaxing through the palate. It’s a very strong offering that should improve over the next few years. Drink 2025-2032.” (92 Pts)

Vinous – “The 2023 Walter Hansel Cuvee Alyce Chardonnay emerges from the highest-elevation section of the vineyard and is planted with an assortment of clones, including Hyde Wente, Hudson Wente and Clone 95. Oily and textured in the glass, the Alyce offers lovely textural resonance within the context of the year. Orange confit, crème brûlée, spice and a kiss of French oak linger as the 2023 blossoms with air.” (92 Pts)