Description
Winemakers Notes
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. Stone fruit, nectarine, and tangelo flavors are counterbalanced with a flinty, textural finish.
Vineyard & Vintage Character
The Stone Côte Vineyard is a small vineyard block within the renowned Durell Vineyard, which sits upon an ancient riverbed at the southern end of the Sonoma Coast AVA. The vineyard’s topography was shaped eons ago by a river flowing 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 as a result, 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 intrinsic terroir.
Critical Acclaim
96 points Robert Parker
“Even better than the Four Hearts is the 2006 Chardonnay Stone Cote, a compelling Chardonnay with glorious notes of crushed rocks, white currants, nectarine, and white peach emerging from its superbly nuanced, full-bodied style. The wine has restraint, but effortless concentration and richness as well as impeccable balance. It is best drunk in its next several years of life. New winemaker Jeff Mangahas has replaced the talented Mike Sullivan and has turned out a bevy of impressive wines. Hartford Court is undeniably one of the gems in Jess Jackson’s portfolio of boutique wineries.” (12/07) 92 points Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar: “Hazy yellow-gold. Smoky, leesy orange and pear aromas give way to white peach and floral honey with air, but maintain energy. Rich and chewy, with deep orchard and pit fruit flavors braced by zesty orange and lime qualities that carry through the long, powerful finish. Plenty open today but there’s enough material here to reward cellaring.” (May/June 08)
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