2023 Wayfarer Chardonnay

Tasting Notes

A pale straw-yellow in the glass, the 2023 Chardonnay ‘Cuvée Cleo’ exudes ethereal aromatics of orange zest, kumquat, lime blossom, hawthorn flowers, ocean air and limestone. Layered and complex, the wine exhibits an electric intensity and concentration of flavor on the palate. A long, mineral-laden finish leaves a lasting impression.

About Cuvée Cleo
A study in nuance and complexity, our premier Chardonnay bottling exhibits a lifted minerality and expansive depth of flavor, balanced with electric acidity. Cuvée Cleo showcases a single barrel of the Hyde Old Wente clone, typified by its floral notes, minerality, length and persistence.

Winemaking Notes

The fruit was picked by hand in the cool pre-dawn hours and delivered to the winery before sunrise. We hand-sorted the clusters before transferring them into a bladder press. After gentle pressing, the juice settled for 24 hours before we carefully racked it into a 500L French oak barrel. Native yeast slowly guided alcoholic fermentation in barrel, with measured batonnage until malolactic fermentation was complete. The wine aged sur lie for 15 months without any racking, fining or filtration. We carefully racked the wine off its lees directly to bottle.

Vintage Notes

Moderate and extended vintages like we experienced in 2023 are ideal for producing classically styled wines with great aging potential. The 2023 vintage began with a cool and wet spring, delaying budbreak weeks later than usual. A mild May and June extended the bloom period nearly three weeks, further delaying an already late vintage. July and August brought warmth and sunshine with above average temperatures driving berry development and ripening, before transitioning into cooler weather in September. Harvest began on September 25th and carried well into October, ending on the 16th, our latest harvest on record. The temperate yet sunny days post-veraison created beautiful flavor and tannin development while retaining freshness and compelling savory notes. The 2023 Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays shine with finesse and quiet power, truly nuanced, multi-dimensional wines.

Blocks

6, 28

Clones

Hyde Old Wente

Critics

99 Points

James Suckling, James Suckling, February 2025

This is a stellar wine with intensity and zeal on both the nose and palate. Seashells, cool apples, lemons and chalk on the nose. It’s full-bodied with a dense mid-palate, but it’s weightless and goes on for minutes in the finish. Wow. Chevalier-Montrachet on the coast. Will age incredibly well, but why wait? Drink or hold.

98 Points

Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck, July 2025

A bright yellow hue, the 2023 Chardonnay Cuvee Cleo sets a darker mineral tone in its notes of smoky wet stones, white peach, fresh flowers, sea spray, and green apples. Intense and structured, it has fantastic length and tension as well as a Grand Cru-like feel, with the electric energy and cleansing texture to balance it without ever being heavy. Drink 2026-2040.

95 Points

MaryAnn Worobiec, Wine Spectator, July 2025

Impressive, concentrated and aromatic, showing sleek and mouthwatering notes of lemon oil, pear and green apple, with accents of vetiver, lemon verbena and lime zest. Grace notes of salted Marcona almond, lime zest and lemon blossoms linger. Drink now through 2037. 30 cases made.

95 Points

Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate, August 2025

The 2023 Chardonnay Cuvée Cleo comes from a single barrel of Hyde clone Chardonnay; grapes were harvested late, on September 25 and October 6. It unfurls slowly on the nose to reveal white peach, quince, lemon blossoms, pie crust and soft, creamy undertones. The full-bodied palate features concentrated, exotic, perfumed flavors, foiled effortlessly by vibrant, shimmery acidity. It has a very long, latent finish, and it should be long lived in the cellar. 25 cases will be released in the fall of 2025.