Tried this last night:
1. Donkey&Goat Chard BrosseauVnyd/Chalone (13%; U) 2009: Med.gold color; rather ripe/melony/appley/Chard slight chalky/mineral/herbal slight cider/phenolic/resiny/saline fairly complex nose; rather tart/tangy/austere/lean light ripe/melony/appley/Chard some phenolic/cidery/resiny/saline light chalky/mineral flavor w/ light tannic bite; very long ripe/melony/Chard tangy/austere/phenolic/saline/resiny light chalky/stony finish w/ bit of a tannic bite; lots of ripe Chard character but an austerity on the palate; an austere/savory terroir-driven Chard; quite interesting & atypical Calif Chard that probably needs 5-10 yrs of age.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. The phenolic character of this Chard clearly indicates it was made w/ skin-contact during fermentation. But there is also a lot of Chard fruit which indicates the skin-contact was limited and not throughout the fermentation. It has a lot of ripe Chard fruit character which contrasts w/ the austerity on the palate. I believe this is the wine they harvest some grapes at a low brix (18 Brix or so), press off the highly-acidic juice, and then use it to acidify the must of the much riper grapes when they come in; a "natural" acidification process.
Anyway, quite an interesting/atypical Calif Chard.
Tom