# Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay (2024)

- **Producer:** Cycles Gladiator
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** California, United States
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.3%
- **Average price:** €18
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, pear, peach, lemon, vanilla, butter, toast

## About this wine

Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay 2024 is produced by Cycles Gladiator, a winery founded in 2005 with a mission to create high-quality, accessible wines. The brand's compelling story is inspired by the women's suffrage movement and the 19th-century French bicycle manufacturer, Gladiator Company. The iconic label, featuring a woman on a bicycle, symbolizes the liberation of women. The grapes for this Chardonnay are sourced from vineyards along California's Central Coast, an area renowned for its cool coastal breezes and well-draining soils, which contribute to the wine's distinctive character. Winemaker Adam LaZarre leverages his long-standing relationships with local growers to ensure access to premium fruit, upholding the winery's commitment to quality.

## Interesting facts

- The Cycles Gladiator label is inspired by the women's suffrage movement and a 19th-century French bicycle company.
- The image of a woman on a bicycle on the label symbolizes the liberation of women.
- Winemaker Adam LaZarre has strong relationships with Central Coast growers, ensuring top-quality fruit.
- The wine undergoes extended lees aging, a technique that adds richness and complexity.

## Food pairing

This medium to full-bodied Chardonnay, with its pronounced intensity and medium-plus acidity, pairs beautifully with rich and creamy dishes. The wine's structure and potential oak influence can stand up to heavier sauces and fried foods, while its acidity cuts through richness, cleansing the palate. Seafood and poultry prepared with creamy or buttery sauces are excellent choices, as the wine complements their textures and flavors without overpowering them.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay 2024 begins with gentle pressing of the grapes to extract the finest juice. Fermentation takes place in oak barrels, contributing to the wine's complexity and texture. Following fermentation, the wine undergoes extended lees aging, a technique that enhances richness, body, and imparts subtle savory notes, culminating in a wine with pronounced intensity and a long, smooth finish.