2021 Chardonnay Grand Klasse
Tasting notes
Caramelized pineapple, baked apple, lemon oil, and hints of fir. The 2021 Grand Klasse Chardonnay begins ripe, with hints of citrus and a touch of greenness on the nose. Swirling brings ripe stone fruit, wet stone, oak spice, and dried herbs. The mouthfeel is rich and layered, with a great combination of citrus and tropical fruits. The texture and tension here are remarkable, showcasing high purity and elegance. Extremely long, the wine finishes vibrant and with the right amount of sweetness and a saline touch to balance it out. Beautiful now, you can enjoy this fantastic Chardonnay in the next 12 years.
Inspired by the French Grand Cru wines, Gard “Grand Klasse” is our reserve-level program, aptly named in reflection of our Scandinavian heritage. It represents the top tier of Gård wines, the best of what our estate vineyard has to offer. Award-winning wines produced by winemaker Aryn Morell to showcase the quality of the Lawrence Vineyards estate. To be designated “Grand Klasse,” each wine must meet strict standards of quality and is blended, bottled and aged with the utmost of care to bring you the very best of our grapes and effort in the bottle.
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Varietal Composition | 100% Chardonnay |
| Appellation | Columbia Valley |
| Vineyard | Solaksen & Conner Lee |
| Designation | Lawrence Vineyards |
| Alcohol | 14.00% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Cases Produced | 306 |
Gård Vintners is 100% estate grown sustainably at Lawrence Vineyards in the Royal Slope AVA. Lawrence Vineyards features seven distinct vineyard sites with elevations ranging 930 feet to 1,675 feet. The combination of elevation and south-facing slope provides a great framework for grape production, while the diversity of the seven locations delivers a high level of complexity to Gård wines. Lawrence Vineyards is certified sustainable by Vinewise.org.
MATÍAS KÚSULAS
Winemaker & Viticulturist
A Chilean with Greek roots, Matías was a Marine officer and Naval Engineer in Chile for more than seven years when he realized that it was time to change the course of his career: In 2005, he started studying Agricultural Engineering at the University of Chile, where he graduated with distinction and a major in Viticulture and Enology. He worked in Chile for a few years and in 2011 he decided to start traveling the world on a quest to learn new wine-making techniques. After several harvests in Oceania, Europe and Africa, he settled down in France, to do his post degrees at the Universities of Bordeaux and Montpellier. He also performed for two years as a Maître de Chai for one of the oldest and most reputable wineries in Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie.
After years of traveling and over 15 harvests, he came to the United States and joined Gård Vintners/Lawrence Vineyards as a Production Winemaker and Viticulturist, and is currently head winemaker for Gård Vintners, Desert Wind Winery, Valo Cellars, and his own label, Massalto. In his spare time he likes to jump out of planes and is a Judo Black Belt.
