Marine Layer "Durell Vineyard" Chardonnay 2023
(Sonoma Coast, California) - [JS 95] [VM 94] [DM 94]

VITICULTURAL AREA

Durell Vineyard benefits from the cool coastal influences of both the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, producing wines of extraordinary depth and complexity. Planted in 1979, the site features sandy loam soils in the hills and stony, ancient riverbed soils in the flats. Chardonnay has long been the vineyard’s standout variety, thriving in the balance of steady warmth, cooling fog, and afternoon breezes, and consistently showing remarkable concentration on both the nose and palate.

VINIFICATION

Fruit harvested by hand at night on September 12th. Whole cluster direct to press, after which the juice chilled and settled overnight. Racked to 30% new French oak and neutral oak puncheon. Spontaneous/native fermentation in barrel over 10-14 days. The wine underwent 100% malolactic fermentation with gentle lees stirring throughout the spring. Wine ages for 11 months until gently racked off of lees and the blend assembled. Bottled unfined and lightly filtered.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - James Suckling:
A wonderfully perfumed and rich wine made from Old Wente clone that’s balanced, with fresh and textural acidity. Aromas of just-ripe pears, spices and baked green apples. A broad palate carries fresh and ripe stone fruit flavors, with exotic and baking spices in the finish. Full-bodied. Drink or hold.

94 Points - Vinous Media:
The 2023 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard is a powerful, dense wine. Broad shoulders frame apricot, sage, mint, dried flowers and light honey overtones. This deep, phenolic Chardonnay has a lot to offer. Stylistically, it is quite different from the other Chardonnays in the range, as there is more power and overall textural breadth vis-à-vis the other wines. (AG)

94 Points - Decanter:
From the bullseye block planted in the late 1980s, Old Wente Clone Chardonnay is fleshy and ripe with a robust richness of lemon pastry creme and ripe stone fruit flesh. The Durrell Vineyard sees about 30% new French oak, using a variety of sizes. There is a natural richness, per winemaker Rob Fischer, but it's really about picking early and getting it off the vine for him so that you can retain the freshness of the fruit. 2025-2032.