Tasting Notes
The 2021 Chardonnay showcases a brilliant play of structure, intensity and elegance. Aromas of almond, jasmine, ground ginger and lemon meringue pie flow from the glass. On the palate, citrus, lemongrass and toasted brioche take center stage, accompanied by tropical notes and hints of stone fruit. The boisterous acidity, voluminous texture and stunning minerality of this wine lead into a flinty, persistent finish. The 2021s will age gracefully for many years.
Winemaking Notes
Each block was picked by hand at night, and firm, cool clusters were delivered to the winery before sunrise. We hand-sorted the clusters then transferred them into a bladder press. After gentle pressing, the juice settled for 24 hours before we carefully racked it to French oak barrels, 64% new. Native yeast slowly guided alcoholic fermentation, with measured batonnage until malolactic fermentation was complete. The wine aged sur lie for 15 months and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Vintage Notes
2021 was a dry, warm, even vintage, giving us wines with great intensity and harmony. Though we experienced record-low rainfall of 20 inches, a long way from our 65-inch average, it was plenty to fill our pond and irrigate our vines throughout the season. Budbreak occurred on the early side due to an unusually dry, warm winter, and this early trend continued throughout the season. Spring and summer remained dry and warm, though temperatures never spiked. This consistency, along with bountiful sunlight, allowed for even ripening across the vineyard. It was a smooth growing season and an ideal harvest, with all fruit picked at just the right moment and coming into the winery in a steady stream. The wines are remarkably dense and complex, with lots of structure, energy and delicate aromatics.
Blocks
2, 4, 6, 12, 17, 26b, 27, 28, 29Clones
Berlenbach Old Wente, Dijon 95, Hyde, Mount Eden
Critics
98 Points
Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate, June 2023
The 2021 Chardonnay The Estate is delightfully decadent and almost feels like a guilty pleasure—it's so packed with flavor! It has gregarious aromatic layers of warm peach, summer honey, candied citrus and wafts of allspice. The medium-bodied palate is luxuriously satiny and features expansive, concentrated flavors. Despite its generosity, it maintains balance with bright acidity, and it has an epically long finish.
96 Points
Lis Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent, July 2023
The 2021 Chardonnay The Estate soars from the glass with notes of green guava, Marcona almonds, and fresh grapefruit with touches of apricots, mandarin peel, and jasmine. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly wound with loads of chalky nuances among the stone fruit layers, supported by a racy backbone and satiny texture, finishing long and savory.
95 Points
Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2023
The 2021 Chardonnay Wayfarer Vineyard is brilliant. Bright, effusive and full of character, the 2021 shows why this site is so ideal for Chardonnay. Lemon peel, mint, crushed rocks, white pepper and tangerine oil all grace this exquisite, finely sculpted Chardonnay. It's all class and pedigree here.
93 Points
MaryAnn Worobiec, Wine Spectator, July 2023
Packs intense lemon and litsea oil aromatics up front, with a firm, crunchy note to the acidity and generous green pear, lemon, pineapple and jasmine accents on a sleek, juicy frame. Reveals smoked salt and a crisp, zesty finish, with plenty of torque. Drink now through 2028.
Wine Data
- Winemaker:
- Todd Kohn
- Origin:
- Wayfarer Vineyard, Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma
- Pruning:
- Double guyot
- Vine Yield:
- 3.17 pounds per vine
- Harvested:
- September 3-17, 2021
- Bottled:
- December 14, 2022
- Release:
- Spring 2023
- Composition:
- 100% Chardonnay
- Alcohol:
- 14.4%
- pH:
- 3.30
- TA:
- 6.7 g/L
- Cases Produced:
- 1,110