2021 Wayfarer Chardonnay
The Estate

Tasting Notes

The 2021 Chardonnay showcases a brilliant play of structure, intensity and eleganceAromas 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 fruitThe 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 sunriseWe hand-sorted the clusters then transferred them into a bladder pressAfter gentle pressing, the juice settled for 24 hours before we carefully racked it to French oak barrels, 64% newNative 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 harmonyThough 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 seasonBudbreak occurred on the early side due to an unusually dry, warm winter, and this early trend continued throughout the seasonSpring and summer remained dry and warm, though temperatures never spikedThis consistency, along with bountiful sunlight, allowed for even ripening across the vineyardIt 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 streamThe wines are remarkably dense and complex, with lots of structure, energy and delicate aromatics

Blocks

2, 4, 6, 12, 17, 26b, 27, 28, 29

Clones

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

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