Sojourn
2020 Chardonnay
, Sonoma Coast

92 Points - International Wine Report
92 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
90 Points - Wine Spectator

Aromas of honey-coated yellow apple, white peach, white flowers and toasted cinnamon on the nose.  Creamy and rich in the mouth with salted butter notes up front and a touch of vanilla anglaise to complement the apricot pastry, lemon curd and citrus zest notes.  It's round and plush in the mouth, with medium to light acidity and delivers a fruity, spicy, and lengthy finish that goes on and on.

Winemaking
2020 Chardonnay grapes were immediately whole-cluster pressed off their skins once picked. Press fractions were managed carefully and the resulting wines impressed us, offering expressive fruit aromas and refreshing acidity with layers of rich texture. Each component in this blend was fermented separately in French oak barrels with 30% new oak. The components were then blended together to create a winemaker's cuvée that is expressive of the cool climate, nuance, and balance of the Sonoma Coast appellation.

Vineyards
The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay are a blend of unique lots from several distinct Sonoma Coast vineyard sites. Old Wente Clone from the Sangiacomo Vella ranch forms a foundation of bright aromatics and balance. Clone 95 from the Sangiacomo Roberts Road vineyard adds minerality and length. Durell Vineyard Old Wente Clone Chardonnay from the historic Hill block adds a layer of rich fruit character and body. Clone 95 from Gap’s Crown Vineyard rounds out the blend with citrus notes, focus and tension.

Vintage
In the Sonoma Coast the grape vines woke up early and demanded their normal attention anyway. Work in the vineyards proceeded with smaller crews that practiced social distancing and wore facial coverings. Summer wild fires threatened many vineyards and hard decisions were made not to pick several vineyard blocks. We kept our focus on producing the highest quality wine.

Analysis
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Fermentation: French Oak barrels 80% Malolactic Fermentation, Native Yeast
Aging: 30% New French Oak
pH:  3.53 TA: 6.1 g/L
Bottled Unfined September 2021
Release date: Spring 2022
Cases Produced: 750
Alcohol: 14.1%

Tasting Notes  PDF

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