Musqué is a French term applied to certain varieties or clones of grapes used for making wine. The term means both perfumed (‘musky’) and Muscat-like, and indicates that the variety or clone is highly aromatic. The Chardonnay Musque 809 clone grown in the Giguiere Family’s JK Vineyard certainly lives up to its name. Enticing aromas of honeysuckle blossoms, citrus flowers and orange zest waft from the glass. Vibrant juicy flavors of mangoes, bananas and oranges mingle with wildflower honey and a ginger spice finish. This Chardonnay will pair nicely with blue cheese on crostini drizzled with honey, or a salad of fresh greens, candied walnuts and chevre.
Blend: JK Vineyard, Dunnigan Hills, 100% Estate Bottled
Production: 75 cases
2010 was the best vintage we’ve had in the Dunnigan Hills AVA. Cooler than normal temperatures and very little wind allowed us to ripen our grapes slowly, developing maximum flavor and intensity.
The wine was cold fermented in stainless steel tanks with Eppernay II yeast. The slow seven-week fermentation preserved the intense aromas of the Musque clone. We arrested the fermentation with a slight amount of residual sugar to give the wine a lush, juicy character.
