Texas Chardonnay -- The AI Take From Arché Winery

by Andrew Chalk

A few weeks ago I described a vertical tasting of Chardonnay that I participated in at Arché Winery in St. Jo, Texas. As well as tasting, I also made a recording of winemaker and speaker Grayson Davis's seminar using my AI voice recorder. Below is what it recorded.

Note, consistent with AI's proclivity to make glaring mistakes it calls the speaker "Andrew". The correct name is Grayson, of course.

08-29 Lecture: Texas Chardonnay Winemaking, Vertical Tasting (2020–2025), MLF Control, and Oak Strategies

Date Time: 2026-08-29 14:10:39

Location: [Insert Location]

Instructor: Andrew

Summary

The lecture, led by winemaker Andrew at his Texas winery near the Cook–Montague county line, provides a comprehensive overview of Chardonnay-focused winemaking, viticulture challenges, and stylistic evolution, accompanied by a vertical tasting across multiple vintages (2020–2025) and blends. Andrew explains vertical tastings, reserve designations, pressing strategies, whole-cluster handling, and malolactic fermentation (MLF) management. He details how local climate—especially late spring frosts, diurnal temperature swings, and freeze events—shapes grape chemistry and wine style, and how tools like a wind machine and acidification help mitigate warm-night acid deficits. The tasting compares nine wines across vintages (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, with notes on 2024 and 2025) and illustrates the winery’s evolution toward greater elegance, aromatic complexity, and structured, full-bodied whites inspired by French Condrieu. The session also covers oak barrel choices and usage, terroir impacts on both grapes and oak, and sustainable vineyard practices. Collaborative wines like “County Line” and blends such as True Friends (Roussanne/Chardonnay) highlight the role of varietal synergy in aromatics and mouthfeel.

Knowledge Points

1. Winemaking Concepts and Techniques

• Vertical tasting

  • Tasting the same vineyard’s wine across vintages reveals consistent terroir signatures; true verticals require consistent vineyard sourcing.

• “Reserve” wines

  • No legal definition in the US. At this winery, Reserve typically means longer barrel aging, often in newer barrels; for reds, more free-run juice and fewer press fractions.

• Grape pressing and juice quality

  • Higher press pressures reduce juice quality. Lots are separated by pressure; early-run juice is favored, while high-pressure fractions are repurposed or discarded.

• Whole-cluster handling for whites

  • Shift from crushing to whole-cluster pressing with modest pressure to ensure yield; slight skin breakage can add complexity depending on variety.

• Malolactic fermentation (MLF)

  • Converts malic to lactic acid, potentially adding buttery notes. Local grapes have low malic acid, so Chardonnays are never overly buttery.

  • Vintage-specific control: 2022 allowed full MLF for creaminess; 2023 and onwards increasingly cut short to retain acidity and fruit-forward aromatics; 2025 cut off around 30 days for lift. Rosé blocks MLF to preserve freshness.

• Controlling MLF

  • Elevated SO2 post-primary fermentation inhibits MLF bacteria and oxidation.

  • Newly FDA-approved formic acid can suppress bacteria with minimal impact on acidity.

• Winemaker’s style and philosophy

  • Andrew, a Texas Tech viticulture/enology graduate (Dec 2011), favors structured, full-bodied whites versus Texas’s typical crisp, aromatic style.

  • Inspired by Condrieu (100% Viognier in new French oak), he adapts oak-driven structure while balancing elegance and terroir expression.

• Oak barrel usage

  • Barrel fermentation for whites in new oak integrates oak via CO2 volatility.

  • Aging: blending new, once-used, and neutral barrels to fine-tune integration; neutral at ~4 years, still beneficial for micro-oxygenation.

  • American vs. French oak: American oak (used extensively here) is higher in lactones, yielding mocha, caramel, coconut notes; French oak imparts different profiles. Toasting level modulates flavors. Example: 2024 Reserve fermented in new French oak, then aged ~8 months in once-used French oak (total ~12 months).

• Price vs. quality

  • Price reflects labor, farming, brand, and site pedigree. Expert tasters discern fine details across price tiers; average palates may miss differences at the high end. Even expensive barrel-fermented French wines can need more aging to show best.

2. Viticulture and Terroir

• Chardonnay cultivation in Texas

  • Chardonnay is frost-susceptible but resilient due to fruitful secondary buds, unlike varieties like Syrah. It buds early (as early as late February) and ripens early, typically harvested July 31–Aug 15, avoiding peak heat and stress ripening.

  • Success is linked to clone FPS 4 on 110 R rootstock, matched to site.

• Climate impact

  • Vintage drives most grape character. The 2021 deep freeze (−15°F, 15 days) severely damaged Chardonnay; ~80% of vines required retrunking.

  • Diurnal swing is critical; warm nights drive respiration that depletes malic acid, raising pH. In 2026, persistently warm nights until late August led to low malic acid and higher pH.

• Winery adjustments

  • Acidification with tartaric acid lowers pH for stability and aging while avoiding harshness.

  • A wind machine installed in 2021 mitigates frost and has saved crops annually, paying for itself within two years.

• Terroir and soil

  • Sandy clay loam with very low pH; as vines age (>10 years), terroir expression deepens.

  • Distinct site character yields dark, Luxardo-like cherry notes in reds, notably Syrah.

  • Terroir extends to oak: origin of wood (France, Hungary, US) affects barrel character.

• Sustainable practices

  • Manure-based compost (horses) adds organic matter and supports micronutrients without over-fertilizing.

  • No broad-spectrum insecticides for over a decade; bio-insecticides and beneficials (spiders) used. Increased adoption of bio-fungicides to improve leaf-surface biome amid Texas’s frequent fungal pressure.

• Vineyard development

  • Plans to field graft Cabernet Sauvignon onto established Roussanne rootstock for faster production relative to replanting.

    
    

3. Winery and Wine Details

• County Line wines

  • Collaborative label with Blue Ostrich near the county border. 2022 County Line White: 50/50 Roussanne (estate) and Blue Ostrich Estate Viognier. County Line Red blended their Sauvignon and Cabernet.

• Tasting notes and vintages

  • Comparative tasting featured nine wines across vintages (including 2020, 2022, 2023; discussion extended to 2024 and 2025).

  • 2022 Chardonnay outperformed the regular 2023 Chardonnay, which suffered climate impacts and showed less fruit.

  • 2023 Reserve displayed pronounced French oak influence (banana nose), greater viscosity; regular 2023 deemed weakest of the four.

  • 2024 enjoyed a strong growing season (moderate temperatures, low rain), yielding high-quality fruit and improved oak integration.

  • 2025 Chardonnay cut MLF early (≈30 days) for enhanced aromatics and acidity.

• Blends and aromatics

  • True Friends (2025): 70% estate Roussanne, 30% Chardonnay; Roussanne boosts aromatics, body, and depth. Chardonnay acts as a chameleon, reflecting growing, fermentation, and aging choices.

• Evolution of winemaking goals

  • From emphasizing structure to prioritizing terroir expression with elegance, particularly in whites, aiming for layered aromatics and complexity supported by thoughtful MLF control and refined oak strategies.

Assignments

• During the tasting, try each pairing item with each wine.

• Taste from left to right starting with the 2020 vintage, noting differences between vintages and Reserve vs. regular bottlings.

• Observe added complexity and aromatics in newer vintages as techniques evolve.

• Consider aging higher-priced wines longer to allow integration and complexity to emerge.

• Plan and evaluate field grafting Cabernet onto Roussanne rootstock to accelerate Cabernet production.