Nose
This single-vineyard bottling from one of our most well-known estate vineyards offers aromas
of white peach, spiced pears, orange blossom, hazelnuts and crushed rocks.
Palate
Stone fruit, nectarine and tangelo flavors are counter
balanced with a flinty, textural finish.
Growing Conditions
The Stone Côte Vineyard is a small vineyard block within the well-known Durell Vineyard, which sits upon an ancient riverbed at the southern end of the Sonoma Coast AVA. The vineyard’s topography has been shaped by the river’s flow through volcanic and sedimentary rock on its way to the San Pablo Bay. Tumbled and water-worn river rocks now litter the landscape, and very little topsoil remains. The nutritionally challenged soils force the vines to search deeply for nutrients and water, and the stressed vines yield very small clusters with intense varietal flavors.
Climatically, this vineyard site is characterized by relatively cool daytime temperatures and maritime breezes, which marry with the low-fertility soils to create an ideal site for growing Chardonnay. The wine’s flinty aromas and mineral-laden finish are a reflection of this vineyard’s terroir.
Aging
16 months in 100% French oak, 39% new.
