2018 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay
2018 shows a spicy, lifted nose with pine forest, shaved fennel bulb, ripe pear, dried apricot and bees wax aromas. Crisp, mineral flavors surround a dense core of juicy pineapple, peach, toasted nuts and clove. The broad palate is at once dense and full while maintaining the critical refreshing acidity to match with rich seafood dishes.
The weather in 2018 was spectacular, making this another exceptionally-fine vintage for Sonoma County. A near record long growing season, with plenty of cool days, punctuated with sunny and warm patches allowed flavors and textures to mature fully. Crop levels were above average, with many sites producing the best crops in years. The acidity levels are higher than normal, with perfectly ripened fruit. Though the year was cool, the fruit was very clean and high quality. A vintage to remember!
Durell Vineyard is located in the southwestern part of the Sonoma Valley. Our 3.5-acre section of the vineyard is known as the “Sand Hill” block—a rolling section of uplifted sandy, ancient ocean floor offering superb drainage and austere, low-vigor soils. Though planted in the early 1990s, over the past several years, Sand Hill has been the focus of extensive viticultural work. This has further elevated the quality of the Dijon Clone 76 grapes from these two-decade old vines. The result is a powerfully textured wine that also offers alluring aromatics and bright, fresh fruit.
100% Whole-cluster pressed
100% Burgundian French oak barrels (35% new; 65% 1-2-year old)
Bottled without filtration to preserve the wine’s aromas and flavors and enhance aging potential
- Type:
- White
- Varietal:
- Chardonnay
- Region:
- California
- Appellation:
- Sonoma Valley
- Vintage:
- 2018
- Blend:
- 100% Chardonnay fruit
- Aging:
- Sur lie aged with weekly stirring
- Alcohol:
- 14.5%
- Fermentation:
- 100% indigenous yeast fermentations; 100% malo-lactic fermentation in barrel